Giovanni Paolo
 |
 MASTER VIOLA 1625 Giovanni Paolo Maggini Contralto Viola Copy $1,199.00 Time Remaining: 8d 31m Buy It Now for only: $1,199.00 |
 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle F X SCHMID Giovanni Paolo Pannini $2.99 Time Remaining: 1d 34m |
 VATICANO GIOVANNI PAOLO II COMPLETE 1987 BELOW NOMINAL $22.99 Time Remaining: 7d 18h 8m Buy It Now for only: $22.99 |
 VATICANO GIOVANNI PAOLO II COMPLETE 1980 BELOW NOMINAL $9.99 Time Remaining: 14d 19h 4m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 VATICANO GIOVANNI PAOLO II COMPLETE 1981 BELOW NOMINAL $5.99 Time Remaining: 7d 18h 16m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Old Italian Brescian Replica Giovanni Paolo Maggini Violin Special Edition $1,150.00 Time Remaining: 7d 22h 2m Buy It Now for only: $1,150.00 |
 Giovanni Paolo II E I Suoi Cardinali by Grzegorz Galazka and Maria Moretti HCDJ $4.95 Time Remaining: 8d 20h 8m Buy It Now for only: $4.95 |
 Campo SS Giovanni e Paolo Francesco Guardi Magic Lantern Glass Slide $3.95 Time Remaining: 5d 2h 7m Buy It Now for only: $3.95 |
 Paolo Sardenzo x3 Giovanni LotN $2.00 Time Remaining: 13d 1h 13m Buy It Now for only: $2.00 |
 9x6 Photo Print Roma Antica Giovanni Paolo Pannini 1755 Staatsgalerie Stuttgar $6.08 Time Remaining: 24d 1h 40m Buy It Now for only: $6.08 |
 VATICAN MEDAL PAOLO VI GIOVANNI XXIII RARE N 1 $15.00 Time Remaining: 20h 37m |
 1904 Color Print Santi Giovanni Paolo Rome Palatine Cityscape Aubrey Waterfield $55.95 Time Remaining: 29d 19h 42m Buy It Now for only: $55.95 |
 1907 Print San Giovanni Paolo Portal Doorway Venice Church Gothic Architecture $41.95 Time Remaining: 29d 21h 54m Buy It Now for only: $41.95 |
 1907 Print San Giovanni Paolo Church Doge Pasquale Malapiero Monument Venice $41.95 Time Remaining: 29d 23h 11m Buy It Now for only: $41.95 |
 12x18 Photo Print St Catherine before Pope at Avignon Di Paolo Giovanni 1460 M $17.38 Time Remaining: 27d 7h 20m Buy It Now for only: $17.38 |
 1907 Print San Giovanni Paolo Church Doge Andrea Vendramin Monument Venice Italy $41.95 Time Remaining: 29d 20h 48m Buy It Now for only: $41.95 |
 1907 Print San Giovanni Paolo Church Doge Michele Morosini Monument Venice Italy $41.95 Time Remaining: 29d 23h 15m Buy It Now for only: $41.95 |
 1938 Photogravure Giovanni Paolo John Baptist Wilderness Art Mountains Siena $67.95 Time Remaining: 29d 19h 34m Buy It Now for only: $67.95 |
 1896 Photogravure Church Santi Giovanni Paolo Venice Italy San Zanipolo Basilica $74.95 Time Remaining: 29d 20h 15m Buy It Now for only: $74.95 |
 VATICAN 1000 LIRE 1978 GIOVANNI PAOLO I UNC FOLDER $60.00 Time Remaining: 20h 33m Buy It Now for only: $75.00 |
 pope John Paul 2 Giovanni Paolo 2 FDC 31174 $3.00 Time Remaining: 21d 15h 37m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 Souvenir Cittadel Vaticano Papa Giovanni Paolo II Coin Set Center Coins Silver $35.00 Time Remaining: 5d 11h 38m Buy It Now for only: $35.00 |
 1993 Press Photo Giovanni di PaoloItalian artist of Saint John The Baptist $33.88 Time Remaining: 24d 20h 35m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 |
 Postcard Venice Campo SS Giovanni e Paolo $2.99 Time Remaining: 3d 12h 38m Buy It Now for only: $2.99 |
 1931 Collotype Paolo Di Giovanni Fei Madonna Suckling Breastfeed Christ Trecento $50.95 Time Remaining: 29d 19h 35m Buy It Now for only: $50.95 |
 pope John Paul 2 Giovanni Paolo 2 FDC 31175 $3.00 Time Remaining: 21d 15h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 pope John Paul 2 Giovanni Paolo 2 FDC 31176 $3.00 Time Remaining: 21d 15h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 Paradiso The Illuminations to Dantes Divine Comedy by Giovanni di Paolo John $14.61 Time Remaining: 25d 23m Buy It Now for only: $14.61 |
 Leonides Pope John Paul II Resin Religious Bust Figurine Giovanni Paolo $14.99 Time Remaining: 4d 3h 34m |
 Metropolitan Museum Art Bulletin Fall 1988 Giovanni Di Paolo $9.59 Time Remaining: 22d 20h 38m Buy It Now for only: $9.59 |
 12x18 Photo Print Virgin Child Enthroned Di Giovanni Fei Paolo 1385 90 Linden $17.38 Time Remaining: 28d 17h 4m Buy It Now for only: $17.38 |
 GIOVANNI MARINICANTATA PER PIER PAOLO PASOLINICD $5.37 Time Remaining: 18d 47m Buy It Now for only: $5.37 |
 pope John Paul 2 Giovanni Paolo 2 FDC 31177 $3.00 Time Remaining: 21d 15h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 pope John Paul 2 Giovanni Paolo 2 FDC 31179 $3.00 Time Remaining: 21d 15h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 pope John Paul 2 Giovanni Paolo 2 FDC 31178 $3.00 Time Remaining: 21d 15h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 Panini Paolo Giovanni Interior Of St Peters Rome Canvas $29.99 Time Remaining: 14d 15h 36m Buy It Now for only: $29.99 |
 12x8 Photo Ruins with St Paul Preaching Giovanni Paolo Pannini 1735 Museo Prado $14.14 Time Remaining: 21d 18h 20m Buy It Now for only: $14.14 |
 Giovanni Paolo Maggini Antique Violin 1671 from Germany Brefcia $1,490.00 Time Remaining: 5d 21h 30m |
 GIOVANNI DI PAOLO Italian Siena Painting ART PHOTO NR $9.99 Time Remaining: 25d 21h 37m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72845 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard S S Giovanni Paolo Ip73080 $7.99 Time Remaining: 8d 16h 11m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 ITALY ROME GIOVANNI PAOLO II BASILICA SAN PIETRO JOHN POPE CATHOLIC CHRISTAN PAU $18.18 Time Remaining: 2d 12h 34m Buy It Now for only: $18.18 |
 VATICANO GIOVANNI PAOLO II COMPLETE 1984 BELOW NOMINAL $14.99 Time Remaining: 7d 18h 8m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 |
 The Anger La Rabbia New DVD Giovanni Guareschi Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Pa $17.73 Time Remaining: 15d 15h 26m Buy It Now for only: $17.73 |
 ITALY CITTA DEL VATIKANO PP GIOVANNI PAOLO II BEAUTIFUL SOUVENIRS SET $40.00 Time Remaining: 6d 19h 38m Buy It Now for only: $40.00 |
 Letters Writ by a Turkish Spy by Giovanni Paolo Marana 1970 Book $8.75 Time Remaining: 28d 19h 56m Buy It Now for only: $8.75 |
 Papa Giovanni Paolo II Pope Vintage 1978 Stamped Signature Continental $0.99 Time Remaining: 23h 25m |
 9x6 Photo Print St Catherine before Pope at Avignon Di Paolo Giovanni 1460 Mus $6.08 Time Remaining: 27d 7h 18m Buy It Now for only: $6.08 |
 9x6 Photo Print St Catherine Exchanging her Heart with Christ Di Paolo Giovanni $6.08 Time Remaining: 23d 19h 51m Buy It Now for only: $6.08 |
 9x6 Art Photo Print Giovanni di Paolo Italian Approx 1403 1482 PAOLO $5.45 Time Remaining: 23d 10h 59m Buy It Now for only: $5.45 |
 9x6 Art Photo Print Giovanni di Paolo Italian Approx 1403 1482 PAOLO $5.45 Time Remaining: 24d 21h 15m Buy It Now for only: $5.45 |
 12x8 Photo St John Baptist Goes into Wilderness Di Paolo Giovanni 1454 National $14.14 Time Remaining: 24d 3h 53m Buy It Now for only: $14.14 |
 GIOVANNI PAOLO CIMA CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI A VOCE SOLE CON SINFONIE NEW CD $12.16 Time Remaining: 10d 23h 32m Buy It Now for only: $12.16 |
 GIOVANNI PAOLO II 1983 VATICAN SOUVENIR SILVER COIN $39.20 Time Remaining: 18d 17h 10m Buy It Now for only: $39.20 |
 BON VOYAGEMUSIC BY GIOVANNI PAOLO FO NEW CD $20.61 Time Remaining: 13d 10h 1m Buy It Now for only: $20.61 |
 VATICAN MEDAL GIOVANNI PAOLO II RARE N 1 $25.00 Time Remaining: 20h 38m |
 BON VOYAGEMUSIC BY GIOVANNI PAOLO FO NEW CD $17.48 Time Remaining: 13d 10h 3m Buy It Now for only: $17.48 |
 12x8 Photo Christ in Garden Gethsemane Di Paolo Giovanni 1430 35 Pinacoteca Vat $14.14 Time Remaining: 23d 1h 23m Buy It Now for only: $14.14 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72880 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72867 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72866 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72876 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72878 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Pope John Paul II 85th Anniv PAPA GIOVANNI PAOLO II $5.45 Time Remaining: 4d 9h 57m Buy It Now for only: $5.45 |
 ITALY Venedig Kanal bei der Kirche StGiovanni e Paolo $29.99 Time Remaining: 1d 12m |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo I p71 $7.99 Time Remaining: 2d 14h 29m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72882 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 VATICANO GIOVANNI PAOLO II COMPLETE 1982 BELOW NOMINAL $6.49 Time Remaining: 14d 19h 4m Buy It Now for only: $6.49 |
 SPOKEN WORD GIOVANNI PAOLO II CELEBRA NELLA PATRIARCALE BASILICA NEW CD $9.03 Time Remaining: 7d 8h 34m Buy It Now for only: $9.03 |
 Alzatevi Andiamo Paolo II Giovanni Good Book $8.18 Time Remaining: 28d 2h 21m Buy It Now for only: $8.18 |
 12x18 Photo Print St Ansanus Baptizing Di Paolo Giovanni 1440s Christian Museum $17.38 Time Remaining: 20d 18h 17m Buy It Now for only: $17.38 |
 New Galerie Des Vues De La Rome Antique 1755 Giovanni Paolo Panni Art Print 02S0 $16.86 Time Remaining: 10d 12h 52m Buy It Now for only: $16.86 |
 G7641 Postcard 4 by 6 inches Pope Giovanni Paolo II $9.99 Time Remaining: 26d 36m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Catholic Pope John Paul II Picture Postcard Joannes Paulo Papa Giovanni Paolo $2.95 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 26m |
 GIOVANNI PAOLO CIMA CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI A VOCE SOLE CON SINFONIE NEW CD $9.16 Time Remaining: 10d 23h 32m Buy It Now for only: $9.16 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72851 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 7x5 Art Photo Print Giovanni di Paolo Italian Approx 1403 1482 PAOLO $4.03 Time Remaining: 24d 22h 44m Buy It Now for only: $4.03 |
 12x8 Art Photo Print Giovanni di Paolo Italian Approx 1403 1482 PAOLO $14.14 Time Remaining: 17d 14h 15m Buy It Now for only: $14.14 |
 Giovanni Paolo II celebra nella Patriarcale Basilica Vaticana la Liturgia $9.75 Time Remaining: 20d 18h 52m Buy It Now for only: $9.75 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72879 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72881 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Santi Giovanni e PaoloBartolomeo ColleoniVeniceItaly $8.99 Time Remaining: 7d 18h 45m Buy It Now for only: $8.99 |
 ITALY 2011 BEATIFICATION GIOVANNI PAOLO II POPE VATICAN MINI SHEET $18.00 Time Remaining: 15h 31m Buy It Now for only: $20.00 |
 Catholic Pope postcard S S Giovanni Paolo Ip73079 $7.99 Time Remaining: 8d 16h 11m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 9x6 Art Photo Print Panini Giovanni Paolo 1681 1765 PANINI $5.45 Time Remaining: 23d 11h 28m Buy It Now for only: $5.45 |
 12x8 Art Photo Print Giovanni di Paolo Italian Approx 1403 1482 PAOLO $14.14 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 13m Buy It Now for only: $14.14 |
 9x6 Photo Print Nativity Di Paolo Giovanni 1460s Christian Museum Esztergom $6.08 Time Remaining: 21d 14h 35m Buy It Now for only: $6.08 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo I p70 $7.99 Time Remaining: 2d 14h 30m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72873 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72872 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 12x8 Art Photo Print Giovanni di Paolo Italian Approx 1403 1482 PAOLO $10.41 Time Remaining: 21d 17h 35m Buy It Now for only: $10.41 |
 vatican 2011 beatificazione giovanni paolo II MNH nuovo lot F22 $7.49 Time Remaining: 2d 9h 51m |
 VATICAN 1000 LIRE 1978 GIOVANNI PAOLO I UNC FOLDER $65.00 Time Remaining: 4d 11h 2m Buy It Now for only: $65.00 |
 GIOVANNI PAOLO COLON GIOVANNI PAOLO COLONNA IL TRANSITO DI NEW CD BOXSET $28.15 Time Remaining: 7d 22h 26m Buy It Now for only: $28.15 |
 Pope John Paul IIPAPA GIOVANNI PAOLO II Shof 6 MNH $5.25 Time Remaining: 24d 13h 20m Buy It Now for only: $5.25 |
 Pope John Paul IIPAPA GIOVANNI PAOLO II M Sheet MNH $4.99 Time Remaining: 4d 10h 20m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72870 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72865 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Catholic Pope postcard Giovanni Paolo IIp72871 $7.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 4m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 VATICANO GIOVANNI PAOLO II COMPLETE 1983 BELOW NOMINAL $13.99 Time Remaining: 23d 19h 28m Buy It Now for only: $13.99 |
Giovanni Paolo
The Night Battles and Friulian Society
Friulian society was one of superstition, a rural society in which the old traditions, many of them pre-Christian traditions died hard and were completely foreign to the non-Friulian inquisitors. Many of the people in the society were uneducated and sought to explain hard times they encountered through supernatural means, such as witches and the benandanti. The evidence put forth in Carlo Ginzburg's book The Night Battles shows a society that is completely saturated with superstition and one that evolves its myths of the good benandanti vs. the evil witch into the idea that the benandanti are evil witches. He shows the roles of the peasants, the inquisitors, and the church in this change.
The Friulian peasants in the 16th and 17th century revolved their lives around agricultural cycles. Considering this was a rural society, agriculture was probably the most important aspect in their day to day lives. The calendar revolved around these cycles as exhibited by the Ember Seasons (22), and their very livelihood depended on a good harvest. The Friulian people attributed a good harvest to God, because they were after all a Catholic state, when the harvest was bad they attributed it to the devil. Early in their society witches were in essence the devils pawns; who did the devil's bidding. And the benandanti literally meaning well-farers (back page) were doing the work of God by fighting these witches. Witches were responsible for most of the unexplainable negative things that happened in Friulian society. When a child experienced an unexplained illness and dies, it was attributed to witches and when the harvest was bad it was attributed to witches. Early on the benandanti were the great equalizers who fought the witches on their own turf, countering there evil deeds with good.
A key aspect to the mind set of Friulian society is that of fate. In order to alleviate the feeling of helplessness when it came to such things as a bad harvest, or the unexplained death of a child the peasants created reasons to explain them. The reasons for explaining the good were God, and early on in their culture the benandanti; the bad is attributed to witches and the devil. Witches and the benandanti were created in order to explain the unexplainable. In the minds of those who believed in them, this was the only logical explanation for the bad and hardship that was continually facing them in there society.
The major difference between the Friulian peasants and the inquisitors was the level of education they each had. The inquisitors were educated by the church usually through monasteries as is exhibited by the majority of their titles being Fra (meaning monk or brother). The peasants were educated by each other many times in the local superstitions and myths of the geographical area in which they lived. The monks were educated exclusively in Catholic doctrine and to them the myths of the peasants were completely foreign and were not sensible. Early on the inquisitors didn't seem to really pay the benandanti much attention, they seemed to believe that there beliefs were more of a hassle and did not threaten church doctrine as much as some of the other beliefs of the period. This is exhibited by the fact that from the years 1575-1619 no trial brought against the benandanti was brought to a conclusion except the trial against Paolo Gasparutto and Battista Moduco. (71) The repression of Lutheranism was much more on the inquisitors mind at this point in history. (71)
The first description of the benandanti is given in the two trials of Paolo Gasparutto, and Battista Moduco (1575, 1580). The benandanti were chosen from birth by being born with the caul (the amniotic sac covering the child), which held a special meaning to the Friulian. Local legend said that being born with the caul was a sign that the child was to be called into the benandanti once they became older, and would have to fight the witches to ensure a good harvest. Masses were said over the caul implying that the caul was not considered a curse early on in Friulian society. The benandanti were not at odds with local church priests as can be exhibited by their willingness to say multiple masses over the caul and thereby blessing it. The caul was than worn around the individuals neck, for they could not be called into the benandanti unless they themselves possessed this sacred sign of there calling. When the benandanti are called they are called in spirit (usually on Thursdays) (151); their body stays in bed, and their soul is released to go out and fight the witches at the games (150). The benandanti fight with fennel and the witches fight with sorghum stalks. They fight over "all the fruits of the earth and for those things won by the benandanti that year there is abundance." (155)
The witches on the other hand are the polar opposites of the benandanti; there is a constant battle continually ensuing between them early on in Friulian society. The witches participate in the sabbat, which is described as witches "dancing and sporting about, gorging themselves with food and drink, and who threw themselves on beds and publicly committed many dishonorable acts".(108) They are said to eat children, sucking all the life out of them; destroying the harvest, and cast spells on certain people they do not like.
The evidence for the existence of agrarian cults in the Friuli is compelling as Ginzburg meticulously documents the trials of benandanti in The Night Battles. Ginzburg states that "we are not dealing with fossilized superstition, but with an actual living cult". (84) Ginzburg believes that the extensive records kept by the Holy Office which document these trials point to an existence of a cult which was based off the ancient fertility goddess Diana. The evidence he puts forth are the similar testimonies given by multiple people at different times which virtually always contained similarities.
It is clear that this cult did in fact exist; and it was originally a pagan offshoot of Christianity. The benandanti themselves early on thought they were doing God's work as is exhibited by their early testimony in front of the inquisitors. On the 26th of September, 1580, Paolo Gasparutto testifies that an "angel of God called him into the benandanti."(157) The early benandanti although they knew that there activities were not accepted by the official catholic doctrine as shown by many initially denying there involvement in front of the inquisitors, still seemed to believe that they were doing the work of God, by fighting Satan's servants the witches.
Ginzburg asserts that the elite theological opinion of the inquisitors are what transformed the original good qualities of the benandanti into what they became in the later half of the 17th century, no different than witches. This is shown as he describes the fate of the werewolves in Germany "just as with the benandanti in the Friuli, under pressure from the judges, the original positive qualities of the werewolves began gradually to fade away and become corrupted into the execrable image of the man-wolf, ravager of livestock." (31, 32) The benandanti over a period of roughly one hundred years became transformed from "well-farers" to witches, who participated in the sabbat, kissed the devils ass and participated in infanticide.
Ginzburg's assertion that the inquisitors wanted to root out this superstitious belief by suggestive questioning is supported in many cases; as those who appear in front of the inquisition originally state they are "doing God's work" by being benandanti and later after questioning are convinced that the benandanti are not of God. The first and clearest example of this takes place in the trial of Paolo Gasparutto. Paolo originally testifies that he believes that the angel of God originally led him into the company of the benandanti. (157) After further questioning he recants stating "that the apparition of that angel was really the devil tempting me, since you have told me that he can transform himself into an angel." (162) Another example takes place when the inquisitor Fra Gerolanmo tries turning Gasparo's testimony into an admission of witchcraft. (85, 86)
The evolution of the benandanti into witches is a slow one. The benandanti go out and fight for the crops, against witches who are trying to destroy the harvest in order to bring hardship upon the town. The benandanti are the good, the witches are the bad. Than as more trials come to pass and more people are brought in front of the Holy Office different stories develop and the nature of the benandanti changes. The first such major change came in 1582 as a result of testimony from Anna la Rossa, a widow. Anna la Rossa adds a new element to the benandanti equation. She states that she is a benandanti and that she can see dead people. This brings two different types of benandanti into the picture, one which goes out at night to fight for the harvest and the other which goes out at night in spirit to see the dead. (39) There are striking similarities between these two testimonies. Anna states that if she is to talk about her experiences she will be beaten by sorghum stalks, and that when she goes out in spirit, it is as if her physical body is dead to the world. (35) There are many more similar testimonies in front of the Holy Office such as the testimony of Caterina la Guercia, in which she describes a similar out of body experience as the others (38) and the wife of a tailor, Aquilina. (37) Out of the once purely agrarian cult of the benandanti comes an element that is connected to death and the dead.
In the trial of donna Florida in 1599 it is the first in which a proclaimed member of the benandanti is accused of witchcraft and of giving the "evil eye". (65). She states that she participates in the processions of the dead, and that she fights witches. All the same a servant who lived in her neighborhood asserted that Florida dries up the milk of nursing women, and that she eats little children. (65)
There are two characteristics of the benandanti which are prevalent in peasants mind in the early part of the 17th century; these are: 1.) The ability to heal victims of witchcraft and 2.) The ability to recognize witches. (78) This is a dangerous new development for the benandanti because the ability to heal victims of witchcraft implies that they are able to cast counter spells, which in turn implies that they are witches themselves. In 1618 during the trial of Maria Panzona for the first time a direct connection between the benandanti and the devil is established. Panzona states that she herself attends the sabbat, and that the devil presides over the witch's games. She states the devil has given her a present which she in turn uses to free bewitched people, and she admits to having paid homage to the devil himself. (100, 101) The culmination of the transition from benandanti to witch is achieved during the trial of Giovanni Sion. He originally claims to be a benadante, describes his participation in the witch's sabbat, and admits to worshipping the devil; after first denying these things. Soppe admits to killing three children at the devil's command. (123, 124). Surprisingly, Soppe is saved by Rome which instructs the inquisitor to reopen his case and verify all of his claims most importantly his claims of infanticide. (125) The cardinal's directions came directly out of a tract entitled Instructio pro formandis processibus in causis strigum sortilegiorum et maleficiorum which directed all inquisitors to use extreme caution in witch trials. This tract effectively eliminated witchcraft persecutions in Italy in the second half of the 17th century. (126, 127)
The Friulian peasants in the 16th and 17th centuries held to a set of beliefs that originated in antiquity and were later infused with Christianity. The idea of the good benadante as a counter to the evil witch was a widely held belief among the uneducated peasants of Friuli. The inquisitors who were educated by the Church found the ideas of the Friulian peasants to be strange and heretical. The inquisitors through suggestive questioning eventually changed the essence of the benandanti into that of a witch. Popular conceptions of the benandanti changed as well, and before long the benandanti themselves considered themselves to be virtually the same as witches.
Works Cited:
Ginzburg, Carlos. The Night Battles. Trans. John and Anne Tedeschi.
Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1992.
About the Author
John Schlismann has in interest in renaissance European history. If you want to purchase The Night Battles goto:
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Battles-Witchcraft-Sixteenth-Seventeenth/dp/0801843863
Does anyone know who Vincent Di Paolo is?
He is my art teacher at school and he said he is famous and came from a long line of artists. I highly doubt that. Can anyone tell me if he is or not. (oh yeah he said something about being related to Giovanni Di Paolo)
I've never heard of him, and can't find anything on him by googling -- just on an actor by the same name.
Sounds like he's got a pretty big ego, in any case. My art teachers never spoke to us about their own work, or whether they were famous or not. Even in art school, any "fame" of our professors was learned about through other means: older students, our own curiosity, notices of shows or awards, etc.
As for Giovanni Di Paolo, is he referring to the early Renaissance painter?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_di_Paolo
If so, that's a pretty long shot. "Di Paolo" is a very common Italian surname... VERY common. Anyone can have the same last name as some famous person of the past (or present).
You say you "highly doubt" what he says; you must have some reason for your suspicion. Why don't you and your classmates ask to see some of his work or, better still, some write-ups about him, his work, and/or his shows? If he's going to boast, he should be ready to back up what he says. Otherwise he might as well be more modest and keep quiet. Maybe it's just that he once had his 15 minutes of fame -- to which we are all entitled, according to Andy Warhol -- and it went to his head! 
Elezione di Giovanni Paolo I