Peter Martyr

   1) (c. 1205–52)

   Saint.

   Peter was born into a Cathar family in Verona, Italy. He was educated at Bologna and was there converted to Roman Catholic orthodoxy. He joined the Dominican Order in 1221, possibly under the influence of dominic himself and he dedicated himself to the eradication of the Cathari heresy. He was a famous preacher and was so effective in his selfappointed task that he was appointed Inquisitor for North Italy by Pope Gregory ix. The following year he was attacked by two assassins while he was journeying from Como to Milan. According to legend, before he died he wrote ‘Credo in Deum’ (I believe in God) in his own blood. He is immortalised in paintings by Fra angelico and titian. He was canonised almost immediately after his death and he was regarded as the patron saint of Inquisitors.

   A. Dondaine, ‘Saint Pierre Martyr’ Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum, xxiii (1953) [no English translation available].

   2) (1500–62)

   Theologian.

   Peter was named after peter martyr the Inquisitor. He was born in Florence, Italy, and he joined the Augustinian Order at an early age. Elected Abbot of the Abbey of Spoleto in 1530 and Prior of St Petrus-ad-Aram, Naples, in 1533, he was a highly successful preacher. However, he was also studying the writings of the Reformers bucer and zwingli and his less than orthodox views caused him to be transferred to Lucca. In 1542 he left Italy and travelled to Zürich, Basle and finally Strasbourg, where he married and was appointed a Professor of Theology. He was then invited by Archbishop cranmer to settle in England. He became Regius Professor of Theology at the University of Oxford. He was consulted in the deliberations over the 1552 version of the Book of Common Prayer; he took part in debates on the Eucharist and he was a member of the commission for the reform of Canon Law. With the accession of Queen mary, he was imprisoned for six months, but was allowed to return to his old position in Strasbourg. He finally moved to Zürich where he became Professor of Hebrew. He was an important influence in the making of the Reformed English Church.

   J.C. McLelland, The Visible Words of God: An Exposition of the Sacramental Theology of Peter Martyr Vermiglii (1957);

   P. McNair, Peter Martyr in Italy: An Anatomy of Apostasy (1967).