1793. Carta de Mariana do Carmo para o padre José Francisco da Cruz.

Private letter from Mariana do Carmo to Father José Francisco da Cruz.

The author writes to warn the addressee that she will report him to the Inquisition for having touched her face while she was talking to him in church.

This letter was found in the proceedings of Father José Francisco da Cruz, who was accused of solicitation. Mariana do Carmo stated that Father José Francisco da Cruz touched her face while she was talking to him before confession. However, she wrote him a letter first, warning him of her intention to report him to the Inquisition. Father José Francisco da Cruz confessed the action and handed in the letter to the Holy Office on September 13th, 1793. Only on Semptember 18th did Mariana do Carmo press charges against him. During that same month, another complaint was presented to the Holy Office. Gertrudes de Jesus stated that, while she was talking to Father José Francisco da Cruz, he put his mouth in her breasts more that once. He did the same to other women. Father José Francisco da Cruz ran away to Rome, where he presented his confession to the Inquisition, being absolved, in 1794.