1 In this century, we found ourselves right in the heart of the Middle Ages, when most of the Crusades took place. This was a very critical period in history and, consequently, marked the beginning of one of the most difficult chapters in the History of Christianity: the establishment of the Inquisition Tribunals.

2 We witnessed the birth and consolidation of a philosophical proposal called Scholasticism, whose great philosopher and Doctor of the Church, and founder of this movement, was the remarkable Italian Thomas Aquinas. He brought notable contributions and, thanks to him, religion entered universities, and his ideas are still studied today. This was the second major movement within the Roman Catholic Church.

3 The first occurred in the 4th century: Patristics (the Church Fathers), with the doctrine of Augustine of Hippo. The goal was to become apologists, defenders of the faith.

4 It is in this same century that Francis of Assisi appears, as if we had the illness and the remedy placed side by side.

5 This century was still under the influence of religious intolerance, where the light of renewal had not yet truly emerged. These changes would begin in the 14th and 15th centuries and fully develop in the 16th century. It was indeed a very difficult and dark period for humanity.

6 Dominic de Guzmán founded the Dominican Order, also known as the Order of Preachers. They were essentially preachers of the Gospel but later became inquisitors.

7 Major universities emerged in this century, such as Oxford in England, the Sorbonne in Paris, Bologna in Italy, and Salamanca in Spain. Initially, theology, philosophy, and medical science were studied.

8 Thomas Aquinas elevated Christianity to the level of science in universities, presenting it as a branch of philosophy and opening a perspective where Christianity was not only a religious practice but also a logical doctrine with structured principles.

9 He provided Christianity with an academic approach and offered an effective revision of its concepts.

10 History teachers often say the Middle Ages were the Dark Ages, but that is not entirely true. This period produced great figures such as Francis of Assisi and Thomas Aquinas, as well as major ideas like Scholasticism.

11 We could say that Scholasticism was a movement that preceded the Renaissance. Without it, Greek philosophy would not have returned to prominence with the study of reason and anthropocentrism. This was only possible because Thomas Aquinas opened this path within the Church.

12 Thomas Aquinas is the author of the work “Summa Theologica,” a true treatise of theology and philosophy. In this work, he presents something remarkable: five logical proofs of the existence of God.

13 First proof – The Way of Motion: Everything that moves is moved by something. Since there cannot be an infinite chain of movers, there must be a first unmoved mover, which is God.

14 Second proof – The Way of Efficient Cause: Nothing causes itself. Every cause has a prior cause, so there must be a first cause, which is God.

15 Third proof – Contingency: Things exist but could cease to exist. Therefore, there must be a necessary being that always exists, which is God.

16 Fourth proof – Degrees of Perfection: There are degrees of goodness and truth, which point to a maximum perfection, the source of all perfection, God.

17 Fifth proof – The Governance of the World: Things without intelligence act with purpose, which implies they are guided by a higher intelligence, God.

18 Thomas Aquinas was one of the most intelligent and cultured individuals in history. However, his ideas were not fully sustained at the time and only resurfaced centuries later.

19 As Christianity moved into universities, it became distant from the people. This gap led thinkers like John Wyclif to argue that faith needed to reconnect with ordinary people.

20 Aquinas represented the peak of intellectual thought, but many common people could not follow his reasoning, which created challenges in spreading his ideas.

21 He also proposed something controversial: that Mary Magdalene should be considered an apostle, due to her closeness to Jesus.

22 The Crusades came to an end in this century. However, an even darker chapter was about to begin: the Inquisition.

23 Officially decreed by Pope Gregory IX, the Inquisition acted in the name of Christian doctrine. Those accused had no defense, and punishments were extremely cruel.

24 It spread throughout Europe, targeting those considered heretics and often resulting in the confiscation of property and wealth.

25 Other motives included expelling Muslims and persecuting Jews. Inquisitors like Tomás de Torquemada became infamous for their cruelty.

26 Responsibility for the Inquisition lies with both the Church and the State, which allowed such actions to take place.

27 These events are remembered with sadness, not pride.

28 The Inquisition lasted for centuries, even reaching into the 19th century.

29 Religious intolerance was widespread, and even later Protestant movements adopted similar practices.

30 Isabel of Aragon was one of the most remarkable women of her time, born into Spanish royalty.

31 She married King Dinis of Portugal and devoted her life to charity and helping the poor.

32 A famous miracle tells that bread she carried for the poor turned into roses when questioned by the king.

33 After the king’s death, she lived in Coimbra and continued helping those in need.

34 She became known for her generosity and dedication to the poor.

35 This was a century of cruelty and hardship, but also one of great figures like Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, and Isabel of Aragon — reminding us that, somehow, we are always guided.