Fallen Order: Intrigue, Heresy, And Scandal In The Rome Of Galileo And Caravaggio

The Piarist Order of priests has for hundreds of years been known for its history of important contributions to education, science, and culture. Yet in 1646, the Piarist order was abruptly abolished by Pope Innocent X. Fallen Order is the stunning story of how the sexual abuse of children, practiced by some of the leading priests in the order, led to the Piarists' collapse. Karen Liebreich spent several years researching in the order's archives and in the Vatican Secret Archive, and discovered how the founder of the Piarist Order, Father Jose de Calasanz (later honored as the patron saint of Catholic schools) knew of the scandal and tried to keep it a secret.

Softcover. English. Atlantic Books. 2005. ISBN: 9781843540748. 384 pp. Good. Book No: 52665