Blood libel

sidebar Blood libels are sensationalized allegations that a person or group engages in ritual murder or human sacrifice , often accompanied by the claim that the blood of the victims is used in various rituals and/or acts of cannibalism . The alleged victims are often children . Many groups have been accused throughout history, including Christians , Jews , Cathars , Carthaginians , Knights Templar , witches , Satanists , Christian heretics , Romani people , Mormons , neopagans , Native Americans , and Africans.

Blood libel (also blood accusation ) is an accusation that Jews kidnapped and murdered the children of Christians to use their blood as part of their religious rituals during Jewish holidays . Historically, these claims—alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration —have been a major theme in European persecution of Jews . Blood libels typically say that Jews require human blood for the baking of matzos for Passover , although this element was allegedly absent in the earliest cases that claimed (the contemporary) Jews reenacted the crucifixion . The accusations often assert that the blood of children of Christians is especially coveted, and, historically, blood libel claims have been made to account for otherwise unexplained deaths of children. In some cases, the alleged victim of human sacrifice has become venerated as a martyr , a holy figure around whom a martyr cult might arise. Three of these — William of Norwich , Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln , Simon of Trent — became objects of local cults and veneration, and in some cases were added to the General Roman Calendar , even though they were lacking official canonization in the Roman Catholic Church . One, Gavriil Belostoksky , was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church . In Jewish lore, blood libels were the impetus for the creation of the Golem of Prague by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel in the 16th century. According to Walter Laqueur : Altogether, there have been about 150 recorded cases of blood libel (not to mention thousands of rumors) that resulted in the arrest and killing of Jews throughout history, most of them in the Middle Ages . In almost every case, Jews were murdered, sometimes by a mob, sometimes following torture and a trial. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual murder made against one or more persons, typically of the Jewish faith".

False claim that Jews killed Christians to use blood in ceremonies Statue of Simon of Trent Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation ) is an antisemitic canard which accuses Jews of murdering Christian children in order to use their blood as part of religious rituals . Historically, these claims—alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration —have been a major theme of the persecution of Jews in Europe . Blood libels typically claim that Jews require human blood for the baking of matzos which they eat during Passover , although this element was allegedly absent in the earliest cases which claimed that then-contemporary Jews reenacted the crucifixion . The accusations often assert that the blood of the children of Christians is especially coveted, and, historically, blood libel claims have been made in order to account for the otherwise unexplained deaths of children. In some cases, the alleged victims of human sacrifice have become venerated as Christian martyrs . Three of these – William of Norwich , Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln , and Simon of Trent – became objects of local cults and veneration, and in some cases their feast days were added to the General Roman Calendar . One, Gabriel of Białystok , was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church . In Jewish lore, blood libels served as the impetus for the writing of the Golem of Prague by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel in the 16th century. According to Walter Laqueur : Altogether, there have been about 150 recorded cases of blood libel (not to mention thousands of rumors) that resulted in the arrest and killing of Jews throughout history, most of them in the Middle Ages . In almost every case, Jews were murdered, sometimes by a mob, sometimes following torture and a trial. The term 'blood libel' has also been used in reference to any unpleasant or damaging false accusation , and as a result, it has acquired a broader metaphorical meaning. However, this usage of the term remains controversial, and Jewish groups object to it. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual murder made against one or more persons, typically of the Jewish faith". "Among the most serious of these [anti-Jewish] manifestations, which reverberate to the present day, were those of the libels: the leveling of charges against Jews, particularly the blood libel and the libel of desecrating the host." Goldish, Matt.

False claim that Jews killed Christians to use blood in ceremonies Statue of Simon of Trent , an Italian child whose disappearance and death was blamed on the leaders of the city's Jewish community sidebar Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation ) is an antisemitic canard which falsely accuses Jews of murdering Christian boys in order to use their blood in the performance of religious rituals . Echoing very old myths of secret cultic practices in many prehistoric societies, the claim, as it is leveled against Jews, was rarely attested to in antiquity . According to Tertullian , it originally emerged in late antiquity as an accusation made against members of the early Christian community of the Roman Empire . Once this accusation had been dismissed, it was revived a millennium later as a Christian slander against Jews in the medieval period . This libel—alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration —became a major theme of the persecution of Jews in Europe from that period down to modern times. Blood libels often claim that Jews require human blood for the baking of matzos , an unleavened flatbread which is eaten during Passover . Earlier versions of the blood libel accused Jews of ritually re-enacting the crucifixion . The accusations often assert that the blood of Christian children is especially coveted, and historically, blood libel claims have been made in order to account for the otherwise unexplained deaths of children. In some cases, the alleged victims of human sacrifice have become venerated as Christian martyrs . Three of these – William of Norwich , Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln , and Simon of Trent – became objects of local cults and veneration; and although he was never canonized, the veneration of Simon was added to the General Roman Calendar . One child who was allegedly murdered by Jews, Gabriel of Białystok , was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church . In Jewish lore , blood libels served as the impetus for the creation of the Golem of Prague by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel in the 16th century. According to Walter Laqueur : Altogether, there have been about 150 recorded cases of blood libel (not to mention thousands of rumors) that resulted in the arrest and killing of Jews throughout history, most of them in the Middle Ages. In almost every case, Jews were murdered, sometimes by a mob, sometimes following torture and a trial. The term 'blood libel' has also been used in reference to any unpleasant or damaging false accusation , and as a result, it has acquired a broader metaphoric meaning. However, this wider usage of the term remains controversial, because Jewish groups object to it. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual murder made against one or more persons, typically of the Jewish faith". "Among the most serious of these [anti-Jewish] manifestations, which reverberate to the present day, were those of the libels: the leveling of charges against Jews, particularly the blood libel and the libel of desecrating the host." Goldish, Matt. William of Norwich" . 1896.

False claim that Jews killed Christians to use blood in ceremonies Statue of Simon of Trent , an Italian child whose disappearance and death was blamed on the leaders of the city's Jewish community sidebar Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation ) is an antisemitic canard which falsely accuses Jews of murdering Christians in order to use their blood in the performance of religious rituals . Echoing very old myths of secret cultic practices in many prehistoric societies, the claim, as it is leveled against Jews, was rarely attested to in antiquity . According to Tertullian , it originally emerged in late antiquity as an accusation made against members of the early Christian community of the Roman Empire . Once this accusation had been dismissed, it was revived a millennium later as a Christian slander against Jews in the medieval period . The first examples of medieval blood libel emerged in the Kingdom of England in the 1140s, before spreading into other parts of Europe, especially France and Germany. This libel, alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration , became a major theme of the persecution of Jews in Europe from that period down to modern times. Blood libels often claim that Jews require human blood for the baking of matzos , an unleavened flatbread which is eaten during Passover . Earlier versions of the blood libel accused Jews of ritually re-enacting the crucifixion . The accusations often assert that the blood of Christian children is especially coveted, and historically, blood libel claims have been made in order to account for the otherwise unexplained deaths of children. In some cases, the alleged victims of human sacrifice have become venerated as Christian martyrs . Many of these – most prominently William of Norwich (1144), Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln (1255), and Simon of Trent (1475) – became objects of local cults and veneration; the cult of Hugh of Lincoln gained the support of Henry III and his son Edward I , giving it official credibility and helping it to be particularly well remembered. Although he was never canonized, the veneration of Simon was added to the General Roman Calendar . One child who was allegedly murdered by Jews, Gabriel of Białystok , was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church . In Jewish lore , blood libels served as the impetus for the creation of the Golem of Prague by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel in the 16th century. The term 'blood libel' has also been used in reference to any unpleasant or damaging false accusation, and as a result, it has acquired a broader metaphoric meaning. However, this wider usage of the term remains controversial. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual murder made against one or more persons, typically of the Jewish faith". "Among the most serious of these [anti-Jewish] manifestations, which reverberate to the present day, were those of the libels: the leveling of charges against Jews, particularly the blood libel and the libel of desecrating the host." Goldish, Matt. William of Norwich" . 1896.