Auto-da-fe
Definition
A solemn public ceremony historically organized by the Inquisition Court (especially in Spain and Portugal), during which sentences pronounced against heretics or those accused of religious offenses were proclaimed and executed; by popular extension, the term denotes the execution of convicts by burning at the stake or the destruction by fire of books deemed forbidden or dangerous to dogma.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Auto-da-fe
- Act of faith
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Neuter noun, singular only, remaining structurally invariable as a borrowed foreign compound idiom. |
| Formation | Historical loan from Portuguese signify 'act of faith', adapted into international cultural vocabulary. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [ˌaʊ.toʊ.dā.ˈfeɪ] |
| Source | The Compendium of Medieval European History and Religious Tribunals |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: În secolul al XVI-lea, un auto-da-fe aduna mii de spectatori în piețele centrale ale marilor orașe spaniole.
EN: In the 16th century, an auto-da-fe gathered thousands of spectators in the central squares of major Spanish cities.
RO: Istoricii au analizat documentele oficiale care descriau ritualul sumbru parcurs în timpul unui auto-da-fe.
EN: Historians analyzed the official documents describing the somber ritual undergone during an auto-da-fe.
RO: Multe manuscrise științifice valoroase au fost distruse într-un auto-da-fe organizat de autoritățile ecleziastice.
EN: Many valuable scientific manuscripts were destroyed in an auto-da-fe organized by ecclesiastical authorities.
Idioms & Phrases
Ritual de auto-da-fe / Auto-da-fe ritual
RO: Succesiune strictă de rugăciuni, procesiuni și lecturi de sentințe care precedau execuția finală a condamnaților.
EN: A strict sequence of prayers, processions, and readings of sentences that preceded the final execution of the convicts.
Victimă a unui auto-da-fe / Victim of an auto-da-fe
RO: Persoană acuzată de erezie sau apostazie care sfârșea executată pe rug în cadrul ceremoniilor publice.
EN: A person accused of heresy or apostasy who ended up executed at the stake during public ceremonies.
Spectacol de tip auto-da-fe / Auto-da-fe type spectacle
RO: Exprimare metaforică modernă pentru a descrie o punere sub acuzație publică vehementă sau o distrugere brutală a imaginii cuiva.
EN: A modern metaphorical expression to describe a vehement public indictment or a brutal destruction of someone's image.
Latest Contextual News
No recent news found for this topic.