Forced Conversion of the Jews
Now, however, to proceed with my narrative, a throng of Christ’s servants, greater than was thought to reside in that town, gathered together and prepared for the departure from Jamona [a town with a Christian population on the western part of the island]. Although it was a very arduous journey, they completed it with such speed that they flew over…
Excerpts from a work by the fifth-century bishop Severus of Minorca recount a forced conversion of Jews living on the Balearic Island of Minorca off the coast of Spain in the early fifth century CE, instigated by Bishop Severus and a Christian mob. According to the author, the arrival of relics of the martyred Saint Stephen fueled the Christian burning of a synagogue and systematic forced conversions. While the event itself is quite disturbing, the author’s tone is unapologetically triumphant.
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