The Devout Christian and Prominent Citizen tried for practicing magic

Cesare Passalaqua came from humble origins, the son of Francesco Passalaqua from Rhodes, and Giacomina, former courtesan who at the time of his birth had had a passionate relationship with the Knight Fra Jacobo Fiott.

A year or so after Cesare’s birth, his mother also gave birth to another son, Vincentio, who died in infancy.

Cesare lived with his grandmother Violante Vergottis, in the vicinity of the Carmelite Church, in Valletta. Cesare and Violante, amongst others, were tried for practicing magic.

Later in life, Passalaqua become a prominent citizen, a generous church benefactor and an owner of various properties, land houses and stores which he rented out. He also served as Jurat in the Valletta Università. 

Like other pious laymen of the Catholic Reformation, Cesare kept the laws of the Church, he attended rituals, frequented the sacraments, fasted, and even formed part of a religious congregation run by the Jesuit Don Leonardo Bosco.  However, he submitted himself completely to the authority of his strict grandmother who demanded total obedience from him.

He expressed his irritation at her authoritarian approach to the extent that, at times, he wished her dead. Unfortunately, he had to pay dearly for his total obedience and was eventually arrested, tortured, and also given a prison sentence by the Inquisition tribunal.

In 1617 Suplitia de Lango was living with her prosperous courtesan daughter Sperantia. Violante Vergottis lived with her grandson Cesare Passalaqua, who was then in his early twenties.

Sperantia was a substantial courtesan who had followed in the footsteps of her mother Sulpitia, a very successful and well-off woman of the word. Sperantia was rich enough to employ 16 servants and slaves.

On 29 June 1617, Leonardo Abel, a man from Valletta gave evidence at the Inquisition tribunal about a strange event he himself had witnessed. He noticed that an altar boy, accompanied by a 14-year-old Turkish slave had caught Sulpitia de Lango, an old woman, and mother of the notorious courtesan, Sperantia, placing a magic concoction under the altar cloth in the grand master’s crypt. 

Abel also explained that the service continued without any disturbance, but when it was ended, the vice-prior of the conventual church, Fra Ottal went to check the great fraud that Sulpitia de Lango had made.

The following day the Holy Office summoned Sulpitia de Lango to the tribunal room in the palace at Vittoriosa.

She declared herself as a 54-year old Greek former prostitute who lived with her daughter Sperantia in Valletta. In her deposition Sulpitia would not admit that she had run away from the church and that she practised magic. She re-appear before the Holy Office the following day.

She explained how, one morning, she met at Violante’s house and accompanied by Cesare Passalaqua, lit nine blessed candles in a room. Passalaqua was made to cover his head and shoulders with a red cloth, and with the periwinkle herb pot, he began to read the recipe in Latin which included the narration of a passage from the Scriptures.

The description also included other information on how to mixed the food and given to Sperantia’s friends, and this would make them fall deeply in love with her.

 The two women agreed to meet again on the eve of the feast of St Peter and St Paul – l-Imnarja. Sulpitia continued to explain in her deposition that they went to St John, order to have nine Masses said for her desire purpose, and Violante paid the alms to a priest to say Mass over the periwinkle leaves. It was at this point that Sulpitia was caught placing the concoction underneath the altar cloth. Sulpitia declared that she had been tempted by the devil, promised that she would refrain from performing such acts in the future and asked the Inquisitor to absolve her from sins.

On the same day, the 22-year old Cesare gave his deposition and described his involvement. He recalled how Sulpitia had asked him for a favour from which he could also benefit.

She persuaded him that the errand she was asking him to perform would make him well liked by everyone and would, furthermore, protect him from firearms. A week later Sulpitia asked him to find the periwinkle recipe, and ordered him to read it. He recalled all the instances and what has happened on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

On his arrival in Valletta the prior of the Carmelite friary, Fra John Paolo Pace and Fra Agostino Sapiano informed him that Sulpitia had been caught preparing a magic potion at the Conventual church. Passalaqua felt confused and realised that he could be an accomplice since he had been involved in this experience without any intention on his part.

He consult his mentor, Dr Giovanni Battista Bonnici who advised him that the only way he could save his skin was to reveal everything to the Holy Office. The next morning Cesare Passalaqua left his home to report the case to the notary’s of the Inquisition tribunal. This led to his arrest and eventual imprisonment at the Holy Office prisons that same day. After his long interrogation, Passalaqua was dismissed and sent back to his cell.

The inquisitor was not satisfied with Passalaqua deposition and decided to counter-check on him. Magnifico Luciano Tholossenti, a 32-year-old notary of the grand master’s law court was summoned to the Holy Office. The notary confirmed that Passalaqua had consulted his friend Doctor Bonnici before he was arrested who had really urged him to report the matter to the Holy Office.

Several other witnesses came to depose on the character and habits of Passalaqua and Sperantia de Lango.

Three Carmelite friars of the Valletta friary declared that they know him since his childhood. They stated that Passalaqua was very obedient and dearful of his grandmother Violante Vergottis who used to chastise him as a boy. He was a good and honest man who confessed and received communion regularly. They added that Passalaqua had, a few days before his imprisonment at the Holy Office, betrothed the daughter of Mastro Ferrante Farrugia and that he was due to be officially married soon after.

On 9 September 1617, Cesare Passalaqua was given the strappado – the most common type of torture.

However, he continued to claim that he did not believe in sorcery or other forms of magic practices, and confirmed these beliefs when he was counter-examined two days later. The Inquisition was not keen to humiliate Passalaqua and Sperantia who were being accused of magic merely as accomplices.

They had their sentences read in privacy at the chapel of the Inquisitor’s palace. Cesare, who was given the mildest sentence, was informed that the tribunal had formulated its verdict on 19 January 1618. He had to abjure and was exiled from Malta for a year. On 14 February Passalaqua submitted a petition in which he appealed to have his exile sentence commuted to a fine. Inquisitor Fabio Della Lagonessa approved and changed his punishment to the payment of 30 scudi.

Passalaqua’s special devotion to Our Lady of Carmel stems from the fact that he was the founder and the first Rector of the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin of Carmel, and continued in this important role for a number of years. From his will it transpires that he was the main benefactor of the Oratory of the Confraternity which, he practically entirely set up and embellished solely. He also leaves other legacies, consisting of 32 pieces of red and green damask. Other testamentary dispositions in favour of various churches in Valletta.

But the most important and splendid 17th-century jewel was bequeathed in 1683 to the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin of Carmel of Valletta by Cesare Passalaqua. This jewel, traditionally referred to as a ‘cintill’ is used to adorn the titular statue of the Virgin on the feast day of the Carmelite Church in Valletta. This chain is considered of very artistic merit.

Cesare Passalaqua married Maria the virgin daughter of Mastro Ferrante Farruga on 28 January 1618, (died on 24 February 1657), and they had a daughter Giovanna (Genoveffa) (died on 4 July 1656).

He passed away at his home at St Ursula Street Valletta on 19 July 1683, after making his will. He was buried at the Oratory of Our Lady of Carmel, Valletta.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.