Jordan Alexander Key (b. 1990): The Passion of Bruno, On the Trial and Execution of Giodano Bruno

Jordan Alexander Key (b. 1990): The Passion of Bruno, On the Trial and Execution of Giodano Bruno by the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (©2022)

Performance: Ekmeles Ensemble

PROGRAM NOTES:
Giordano Bruno was 16th century Italian philosopher, cosmologist, and mathematician. He is best known for his cosmological theories, particularly his belief in a vast universe with 'countless worlds' (i.e. that our planet and solar system are likely not the only to harbor life, and that perhaps there are countless worlds in the universe, many of which must likely have intelligent life). His (at the time) unorthodox views, including his support for Copernicanism (i.e. the idea that the sun is at the center of our solar system), led to conflict with the Catholic Church, and he was eventually burned at the stake for heresy in 1600. Despite the Catholic Church's many violent efforts to silence these cosmological theories, both Bruno's ideas of extra-solar planets as well as Copernicus's idea of Heliocentrism are both now proven unquestionably true and accepted by all the scientific community.

The text of this piece is based on excerpts of Bruno's own "Cabal of the Cheval Pegasus" (1585) and the original trial transcript, wherein Bruno was officially charged of heresy on 16 February 1600 by the Roman Catholic Church, who ordered Bruno's brutal and cruel execution by burning. All of Burno's works were banned and all copies the Catholic Church could acquire were burned.

As we look upon our own book burnings today, as we remember poignantly the historically recent atrocities of institutions of fear like the German NAZI party, Russian and Chinese Communism, or American McCarthyism, Eugenics, and Jim Crow during the 20th century, let us not forget the similar atrocities of the Catholic Church throughout the Inquisition, Crusades, and Conquests of the Americas: civilizations were razed, countless people were tortured and executed, cultures were systematically erased, wars were needlessly waged, and thinkers were myopically silenced by this religion.

If we sincerely believe - as I and many do, atheist and non-atheist alike - that we should not forgive the NAZI party for the Holocaust; that we should not forgive Mao, Stalin, Kim, Hitler and the many violent tyrants of fear of the 20th and 21st centuries; that we should not forgive European powers for the centuries of slave trades and colonialism; that we should not forgive the conquistadors for their heartless and greedy pillaging of the Americas, then we should also not forgive the Catholic Church for the crimes against humanity it wrought for nearly 1000 years of its history.

Let us remember a great thinker - Giordano Bruno - who in an effort to guide humanity to the stars and a better version of itself was silenced by theocratic tyrants afraid of people who think and question, 'men of God' whose aim was never the betterment of humanity bur rather the betterment of their own hold on power and purse strings.

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TEXT:
The Great Responsory:
(text based on Cabal of the Cheval Pegasus, 1585)

Observe whether [the curious] have been busy
with the secret causes of things,
or if they have condoned the destruction of kingdoms,
the dispersion of peoples, fires, blood, ruin or extermination;
the destruction of the whole world that it may belong to them:
Who is it then that for lack of curiosity seeks destruction in order
that the poor soul may be saved,
that an edifice may be raised in heaven,
that treasure may be laid up in that blessed land,
caring but only for that other most certain and eternal life.
Who then, if the curious be busy with the causes of things,
has wrought the world’s perpetual ruin?
Who then?
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The Passion:
(text based on Bruno’s official charges on 16 February 1600)

TRIBUNAL:
We hereby, in these documents,
publish,
announce,
pronounce,
sentence,
and declare
thee - Brother Giordano Bruno -
to be a heretic,
and therefore
to have incurred all the ecclesiastical censures
and pains of the Holy Canon,

BRUNO: Who then?

TRIBUNAL:
Furthermore, we
condemn,
reprobate,
and prohibit
all thine books and writings as heretical
and erroneous,
containing many heresies and errors.

BRUNO: Who then?

TRIBUNAL:
We ordain that all
Your books
letters
pamphlets
essays
Inquiries
And recorded thoughts
of any nature that come into the hand of the Holy Office
shall be publicly destroyed and burned

BRUNO: Who then?

TRIBUNAL:
Therefore,
invoking the name of

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

you, the aforesaid Fra Giordano Bruno –
you - a felon
you - examined
you - tried
you - found guilty –
you will burn.

As we have commanded,
so shall it be done.

BRUNO:
Maiori forsan cum timore sententiam
in me fertis quam ego accipiam.

TRIBUNAL:
Pater noster, qui es in caelis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum.
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Fiat voluntas tua,
sicut in caelo, et in terra.

BURN HIM.