Sambenito

A sambenito ("gramalleta" or "sambenet" in Catalan) was a kind of gaudy vest, similar to a modern lifejacket or poncho, that the Spanish Inquisition forced convicted heretics to wear, as a way of defamation and public shame. The colors and designs indicated what crime the heretic had committed and what their punishment was.

Those condemned by the Church wore the vests as punishment, ranging from short periods of time until the day they died. Those who were to be executed wore the Sambenito until they were executed. After the Heretic was executed, or the penance paid off in time, the Sambenitos were collected by Church officials and displayed publicly for all to see, as a way of showing who in the town had committed what crime and what the punishments were.

Etymology

In Spanish, San Benito means "Saint Benedict".An alternative etymology by Covarrubias and former editions of DRAE has it from "saco bendito" ("blessed sack").
Américo Castro "proved that it does not come from "saco bendito"Américo Castro, "Revista de Filología Española", XV, 179-80. Quoted in "santo", "Diccionario Crítico Etimológico Castellano e Hispánico", volume 5, page 155, Joan Corominas and José A. Pascual, Editorial Gredos, 1991, ISBN 84-249-0879-1.] .

In the 1945 edition of "México Viejo", Luis González Obregón shows images from Felipe A. Limborch's "Historia Inquisitionis", dated 1692, which were images of Sambenitos used in the Inquisition.

González Obregon describes the three basic types of tunics used to distinguish those being punished by the Inquisition. These were the "Samarra", "Fuego revolto", and the "Sambenito". The "Samarra" was used by those comdemned to death, frequently through the burning at the stake; it featured painted dragons, devils, and flames amongst which the image of the prisoner could be distinguished. The "Fuego revolto" was used for those who had repented. The flames would be painted downwards, thus indicating that they had escaped death through fire. Finally there was the "Sambenito" used commonly by those in penitence and which featured the cross of Saint Andrew, eventually became known to designate all three types.

Other garments worn by the prisoners included pointed hats, rosaries, and green or yellow candles.

References

*González Obregon, Luis. "Època Colonial, México Viejo, Noticias Históricas, Tradiciones, Leyendas y Costumbres", Editorial Patria, S.A. 1945, 107-108.