Cayetano Ripoll executed after the last Spanish auto-da-fé (1826)

Cayetano Ripoll, a Catalan schoolmaster, was executed in Valencia on 26 July 1826 for teaching deism. This event is widely cited as the last execution for heresy in Spain, though sources note the Inquisition was defunct at the time. The execution sparked international scandal, highlighting the tension between ecclesiastical authority and civil law.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Cayetano Ripoll was a Catalan schoolmaster born in 1778, possibly in Solsona. He served as a soldier in the Spanish army during the Peninsular War (1807–1814). His execution in 1826 is often described as the last instance of a person being executed for heresy in Spain, specifically for teaching deist principles to his students.

Accusation and Report. Miguel Toranzo, Chairman of the Board of Faith from the Diocese of Valencia and a former inquisitor, reported to the Archbishop that Ripoll denied core Christian doctrines. The report stated Ripoll did not believe in Jesus Christ, the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Holy Eucharist, the Virgin Mary, the Holy Gospels, or the infallibility of the Catholic Church.

Disposal of Remains. Reports conflict regarding the treatment of Ripoll's body after execution. Some accounts state Church authorities placed his body in a barrel, painted flames on it, and buried it in unconsecrated ground because he was not burned at the stake. Other reports claim the barrel was burned and the ashes thrown into a river.

People involved

Sources

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