Narratives and representations of suffering, failure, and martyrdom

Early modern Catholicism confronting the adversities of history

Cohen, Leonardo (ed.)

This collection of twelve essays aims to contribute to the study of the concept of martyrdom and the assessment of suffering during the early Modern Age. The articles explore, from various perspectives, how post-Tridentine Catholicism faced diverse forms of grief resulting from disappointment and disillusionment over harsh confrontations with adverse realities. Trent’s triumphalist attitude was subject to constant setbacks in the two centuries that followed. What are the common denominators underlying the modes of understanding of suffering, pain, disappointment, and frustration in the religious experience of missionaries and exiles in Europe and overseas? Evidently, legitimizing mechanisms were necessary in order to adapt to a reality that revealed itself fully, against all previous expectations. Thus, this volume presents various historical examples from several different regions, providing a comprehensive overview of the multiple forms of expression for the experiences of defeat and grief in post-Tridentine Catholicism.