Persecution and Martyrdom of Jerome of Prague

Persecution and Martyrdom of Jerome of Prague: Jerome, a Bohemian church reformer and itinerant scholar, was born in 1370, in Prague, Czech Republic. He attended several universities and seminaries in various cities: Prague, Paris, Heidelberg, Cologne, and Oxford, during which he learned to speak excellent English. At Oxford, he became acquainted with the writings of John Wycliffe, late theologian and church reformer, persecuted by the Catholic Church for his faith in Christ.

Wycliffe’s point of departure with the Catholic Church was his insistence that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. The Catholics believe that humans are saved by doing good deeds. While at Oxford, Jerome translated many of Wycliffe’s writings into English and Czech language. His books were circulated throughout Bohemia, and it was from these that late John Huss learned the doctrines of Wycliffe. 

When Jerome returned to Bohemia, he found that his books were widely read in the city and the university, and that John Huss had become the chief promoter of them and Wycliffe’s teachings. So he immediately associated himself with Huss and they worked together in the endeavour from that time on.

After Huss was betrayed and arrested at the Council of Constance, Jerome went to the city, arriving there on April 4, 1415, about three months before Huss was burned at the stake. Jerome entered the city secretly for fear of being arrested, and consulted with some of the leaders of those who also believed in Wycliffe’s doctrines. They easily convinced him that he could be of no service to Huss because of the Council’s unchangeable determination to condemn and burn Huss as a heretic.

Jerome then went to Iberling, an imperial town that was under the protection of the emperor, and sent a letter to Emperor Sigismund stating that he was willing to appear before the Council on Huss’s behalf if the emperor would give him safe-conduct – this was refused. He then wrote to the Council of Constance concerning the same matter, and was refused both an appearance on Huss’ behalf and safe-conduct.

Jerome then started back to Bohemia, taking with him several certificates signed by nobles in Constance and Iberling, which stated that he had done all he could to obtain a hearing on Huss’ behalf. He never made it back to Bohemia, however. In the city of Hirshaw, Germany, an officer on the orders of the Duke of Sultsbach, who was certain he would receive thanks from the Council of Constance for such an acceptable service to them, arrested him. 
The Council was notified that Jerome was in custody, and they requested that he should be brought to them immediately. A German prince on horseback assigned to guard Jerome met them on the way with numerous attendants. He had Jerome’s feet shackled and a long chain attached around his neck. He then triumphantly and with great fanfare led Jerome back to Constance, where Jerome was put into a foul dungeon to await the pleasure of his inquisitors.

Jerome’s treatment was much like that given to Huss, except that he was confined considerably longer and was often moved to a different prison. It was nearly a year after his capture before he was brought before the Council. There he asked to plead his own cause and was refused, whereupon he shouted forth these words:

“What cruelty is this? For three-hundred-and-forty days, I’ve been confirmed in various prisons. There is not a misery or a want that I have not experienced. You have allowed all my enemies to accuse me as much as you wish, and you have denied me the smallest opportunity to defend myself.

Not one hour will you give me to prepare for my trial. You have swallowed the most malicious statements against me. You have represented me as a heretic without knowing my doctrine; as an enemy of the faith without knowing what faith, I professed; as a persecutor of the priest before you have had an opportunity to know my view on that matter.

 You are a general Council, and in you is contained all that this world can impart of wisdom, solemnity, and holiness; but you are still men, and men are often fooled by words and appearances. The higher your character is for wisdom, the more you should be careful not to fall into foolishness. The cause I wish to plead is my cause, the cause of men, the causes of Christians. It is a cause that will affect the rights of future generations, no matter in what way the testing process is applied to me.”

            Jerome’s outburst did not affect the Council, and when he finished they read the charges against him, which can be summed up under five headings:

• That he ridiculed the papal dignity
• That he opposed the pope
• That he was an enemy of the cardinals
• That he was a persecutor of the bishops
• That he was a hater of the Christian religion

Jerome denied all the charges and was returned to prison. There he was hung repeatedly by his heels over a period of eleven days. Brought back to the Council and threatened with worse torture, Jerome agreed that the writings of John Wycliffe were false and that John Huss had been fairly condemned and burned as a heretic. He was returned to prison where he was no longer tortured and received better treatment. Before long, however, it became obvious that he had not truly agreed with the Council. He retracted his denunciation of Wycliffe and Huss, and 107 new articles of heresy were drawn up against him.

  Although there were many bigoted people who did not want Jerome given an opportunity to speak because they were afraid that his persuasive way of speaking might change the minds of even the most prejudiced, the Council allowed him to defend himself. In his defence, Jerome made an excellent distinction between evidence based on facts, and evidence supported only by malice and lies.

He detailed for the Council, the course and conduct of his life, and said that even the greatest and most holy men had been known to differ in their opinions, and openly discuss them so that they can find the truth, not to conceal it. He spoke contemptuously of those who would try to make him retract his beliefs and teachings, defended the doctrines of Wycliffe, spoke highly of Huss, and said that he was willing to follow that holy martyr to his death. As before, however, the Council paid no attention to his words.

 He like Huss, was condemned and sentenced to be burned at the stake as a heretic. Since he was not a priest, he did not have to experience the degradation that Huss did. The Council gave him two days in which to recant, and during which the cardinal of Florence did his utmost to win him over. His words had no more effect on Jerome than Jerome’s on the Council.

On the way to the stake, Jerome sang several hymns, and when he was taken to the exact spot where Huss was burned, he knelt down and prayed fervently. Then he embraced the stake before being chained. When the executioner went behind him to light the faggots, he said to him, “Come here in front of me and light the fire where I can see it. If I were afraid of it, I would not have come to this place.” The fire was lit, and because the faggots were extremely dry they flared into flames that quickly enveloped him. Jerome sang a hymn for a short time, but was soon silenced by the searing fire. His last words that could be heard by the witnesses were, “This souls in flames I offer Christ to Thee.” He was martyred on May 30, 1416.

             Though the papal inquisitors hoped otherwise, the flames of martyrdom spread the fire of the true Gospel throughout the civilised world. Jerome had translated Wycliffe’s writings from English to Czech, and thereby planted seed of truth that would never stop growing. Soon, God would raise up another man who would translate the New Testament from the papist Latin, which kept knowledge of the Scriptures hidden from the common people, into English. In Revelation2:12, the risen Christ wrote to the church at Pergamos, “Repent: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against thee with the sword of My mouth.” Now the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), was about to come against the unrepentant church.

*****Culled from The New Foxes Book of Martyrs 2001 by John Foxe, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.