La predicació del cristianisme als jueus de Cervera (1339-1492)

Numerous documents refer to the preaching carried out in Cervera by various friars of different orders, as well as other individuals, during the Middle Ages. In general, these preaching activities were addressed to Christian audiences during Lent and other major festivals. Nevertheless, sometimes the preaching was aimed not at the Christian faithful, but at the Jews among the local population, as is obvious from the documents themselves. In this study, we transcribe nine documentary texts, preceded by a commentary, which provide information concerning those preachers, many of whom were converted Jews. We have taken into account only those documents which explicitly state that the preaching was aimed at Jews; the one exception is the case of Vincent Ferrer, who, as medieval texts suggest, and provided that he was one and the same as the Dominican friar by that name, very likely preached to the Jews during the time he spent in Cervera. According to the documents consulted, the preachers who addressed their efforts to the Jews were the following: 1339. Pere Ferràndiz, convert. He may have been the converted Jew, Pedro Fernández de Tudela, who was probably born in Tudela, Navarre. 1410. Vincent Ferrer, a teacher of holy scripture. There is documentary evidence that in 1409 Friar Vincent Ferrer, together with several companions, spent some time in Cervera. According to the account given by Jaume Villanueva, we believe that the Master Vincent Ferrer referred to in the records of Cervera is the same Dominican friar who was later elevated to sainthood. 1417. Gil Benet, convert. This teacher preached in the church of Santa Maria, Cervera, over a period of three days, to both Jews and Christians. In 1426, this same preacher again gave sermons in the church of Santa Maria, Cervera, before a congregation of Jews and Christians. 1431. Lucas. We find that, at least in 1431, the Jews of Cervera were obliged by a court order to attend the sermon given by this preacher. 1431. GilabeSón nombrosos els documents que fan referència a les predicacions que diversos frares de diferents ordes i altres persones portaren a terme a Cervera durant l'edat mitjana. En general, aquestes predicacions anaven adreçades als oients cristians i tenien lloc durant la Quaresma o en festivitats importants. Amb tot, els destinataris d'algunes d'aquestes predicacions, no foren, però, els fidels cristians sinó els jueus que vivien a la població. Aquest treball presenta la transcripció de nou textos documentals que aporten informació sobre aquests predicadors, molts dels quals eren jueus conversos. Si tenim en compte l'escàs nombre de conversos que apareixen esmentats a la documentació cerverina no sembla pas que aquestes predicacions aconseguissin fruits abundants. És possible que les conversions d'alguns jueus al cristianisme fossin, en general, causades més per l'interès que poguessin tenir a estabilitzar llur situació econòmica o social que no pas als sermons dels predicadors, per molt eloqüents que aquests fossin