MARRANISM Meaning and
Definition
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Marranism refers to a cultural and religious phenomenon that emerged during the Spanish Inquisition in the late 15th century. The term derives from the name of Portuguese Jewish philosopher and theologian, Abraham ben Isaac of Granada, who was commonly known as Uriel da Costa but used Marrano as a pseudonym.
Marranism pertains to the secret practice of maintaining Jewish customs and beliefs while publicly conforming to the Catholic faith. It was adopted by many Jews who were forced to convert to Christianity or face persecution, expulsion, or even death. Marranism allowed these individuals to preserve their Jewish identity while appearing to be devout Catholics to avoid suspicion, punishment, and maintain social standing.
Marranism involved a strategy of concealment and maintaining a dual religious existence. Secret rituals and traditions, such as lighting Shabbat candles or circumcising male infants, were carried out clandestinely to ensure the continuation of Jewish customs within the secrecy of family circles. Marranos continued practicing Jewish traditions and often held a deep longing for their ancestral faith, but were unable to openly express it due to the severe consequences of being discovered by the Inquisition.
The term "Marranism" has since broadened in meaning and can also encompass individuals who outwardly conform to a dominant culture or religion while privately adhering to different beliefs or maintaining connections to another cultural or religious identity.
Common Misspellings for MARRANISM
- narranism
- karranism
- jarranism
- mzrranism
- msrranism
- mwrranism
- mqrranism
- maeranism
- madranism
- mafranism
- matranism
- ma5ranism
- ma4ranism
- mareanism
- mardanism
- marfanism
- martanism
- mar5anism
- mar4anism
- marrznism
Etymology of MARRANISM
The word "Marranism" is derived from the name of Isaac ben Abraham of Troki – a 17th-century Jewish scholar and writer. He is also known as Isaac Marr or Isaac Maro. Marranism refers to a phenomenon in which Jews outwardly converted to Christianity in order to escape persecution during the Spanish Inquisition. However, secretly, many of these individuals continued to practice Judaism in private, and their conversion was only a way to protect themselves. As such, the term "Marrano" which means "swine" or "pig" in Spanish was used pejoratively to refer to these individuals who were perceived as traitorous. Over time, "Marrano" was replaced by "Marranism" to describe the practice as a whole.
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