About the book: 2010 / “Christians are not allowed,” said John Chrysostom, “to destroy errors by force, they can lead people to salvation only by conviction, reason and love.” In Natalia Budur’s book, which tells about one of the most sinister pages of medieval history, about the activities of the Holy Inquisition, the reader will not find examples of Christian forgiveness. This is a book about violence and fear. What is the secret of the longevity of the Inquisition, whose very name inspired horror throughout the Christian world? What is the reason for its emergence and decline? How did the sacred tribunal operate and how was it structured? Who were the leaders of the Inquisition and its victims? Who was persecuted by the Inquisition and for what? Did similar processes take place in Russia? The reader will find answers to these and many other questions related to the everyday life of people in the Middle Ages on the pages of this emotionally rich, caring work.