Girolamo Savonarola
1452-1498
Italian reformer. Girolamo Savonarola was in a Dominican mon-
astery for seven years. He began to preach the Bible in
Florence, Italy, in 1481. This city became a republic due to
Savonarola's preaching and his immense popularity with the
common people. They elected him to be the city manager.
Pope Alexander VI offered him a cardinal's position
if he would quit preaching the Bible and exposing the sins of
the Vatican. Savonarola refused the "red hat" of the cardinal
and replied, "I'll take a red hat of blood." He was excommu-
nicated, imprisoned, tortured, then burned at the stake.
Before dying, he said, "Rome will not quench this
fire." Nineteen years after Savonarola's death, Martin Luther
began the Reformation.
ARTIST'S NOTE: The color motif is that of blood and gloom.
Alexander's offer is suspended over Savonarola's head, with
its real import pictured clearly: the price of blood.
Ruckman '66

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Christian Biographies