Veiled threats

Book Description

In Veiled Threats, scholar Michael Carroll unveils the rich tapestry of Italian popular Catholicism, revealing a spiritual world that operates according to its own profound logic and creative expression. Building upon his previous acclaimed work, Carroll embarks on a comprehensive exploration of how ordinary Italian Catholics have practiced their faith from the fifteenth century through modern times.

This illuminating study examines the intricate dance between grassroots religious devotion and institutional Church authority across centuries of Italian spiritual life. Carroll draws extensively from previously untranslated Italian scholarship to shed new light on practices that have sustained communities for generations. He investigates the powerful role of miraculous images and the devoted communities that gather around them, the dramatic public displays of faith during Holy Week processions including acts of self-flagellation, and the deeply held beliefs surrounding souls in Purgatory.

The book reveals how preaching orders successfully adapted their message to resonate with local spiritual needs, while exploring the enduring significance of sacred relics and the preserved bodies of saints. Carroll also traces the varied ways northern and southern Italy responded to Reformation challenges, highlighting regional differences in Catholic expression.

Throughout this scholarly yet accessible work, readers discover that popular Catholic practices contain an implicit wisdom rooted in authentic local experiences and spiritual needs, often diverging meaningfully from official religious doctrine while maintaining their own vital spiritual integrity.