A Husterical Moment!

I awoke this morning with a layer of sweat on my body. The fan was all for naught, because the heat decided to ignore the modern appliance and attack me anyways. I get up to work at the normal time, I do the normal thing, I leave at the normal time.

I get home to my non air-conditioned apartment, and try to remain as still as possible. I make a trip to the local mall knowing full well that the air conditioning will be on full blast. I do my necessary errands, and sit in the food court eating fries with cheese sauce. Take the fry, dip it, put it in my mouth. Take. Dip. Eat. I look at the surrounding persons, and all are locked into conversation with their shopping partners. I grab some ice cream and head home to the 7th circle of heat.

Though, the heat cannot compare to the heat that Jan Hus had to deal with at his execution taking place this day 1415.

JAN HUS

Born: c.1372
Died: July 6, 1415

There is little known of Jan Hus' childhood and family structure. The best estimate of his year of birth is 1372, though it could be as early as 1369 or late as 1373.

What is known is that in 1392, Hus graduated from the University of Prague with a bachelor of arts degree, and obtained a Master's Degree in 1394.  He began teaching at the university soon after, the university had been going through some changes, due to the bitter feud between the Bohemians and Germans.

One of the earliest dissidents of the Catholic Church, he was influenced by the ideas of  John Wycliffe, which were transmitted by the servants of the now deceased Anne of Bohemia, Queen of England.

The University of Prague was been ripped apart by the Papal Schism, whereby there were two popes, Pope Gregory XII and Avignon Pope Benedict XIII, allegiances were divided. A solution to this problem was to elect a third pope, Alexander V, who was known as the Anti-Pope. The King of Germany, Wenceslaus, supported Benedict XIII for he felt Gregory would interfere in his plans to become Holy Roman Emperor.

Hus spoke out against (via his writings, pamphlets and lectures)

• Papal indulgences: where sins would be forgiven for a nominal fee. 
• The Crusades: he said that no man should take up the sword on behalf of the Church. Rather the pope should pray for his enemies.

Such ideas were considered heresy and were punished. Hus was sent to trial, where he was encouraged to recant everything he claimed, not venerate his predecessor Wycliffe and quit preaching his ideas. He resisted and was burned at the stake.