The Spanish king established the Spanish Inquisition in the Middle Ages to safeguard the purity of the Catholic faith. In the beginning the Church supported this office of investigation (inquisition), but just two years later Pope Sixtus IV condemned the abusive practices and greed of those working for the Spanish Inquisition.
It is awful to see how terrible crimes were committed in the name of the Church. Hundreds and perhaps even thousands of people were murdered. Such crimes against humanity cannot be justified. This directly contradicts Jesus’ message of love, peace and justice! In 2000, Pope John Paul II asked for forgiveness for what went wrong during the period of the Spanish Inquisition.
