Los Dominicos y las creencias y prácticas religiosas de las mujeres de Palermo en los siglos XIV y XV

After the Sicilian Vespers (1282) in Palermo the Dominicans played a fundamental role, and conditioned believes and religious practices of women in their sermons, that in the XIIIth and XIVth centuries mainly dealt with heresy, in the XVth century with marriage and the role of women in the society. The Dominicans were chosen by women as witnessess and executors. Albamonte de Falconerio, widow of the knight Giovanni de Camerana Palermo, gave a lot of money and sacred vestments to friar Martino de Panormo, inquisitor of heretics. The countess Benvenuta Mastrangelo and her mother Palma charged the Dominicans to found a convent, that the friars dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. Virgin Martyr, Catherine was a perfect model of women; in Sicily she was the most represented saint in the polyptychs, sometimes next to St. Ursula, another Virgin Martyr. Therefore, in their wills women asked for masses dedicated to St Catherine for the sake of their soul, and the name Catherine was very popular. In the XIV and XV centuries in Palermo there were depictions of St. Dominic and St. Peter Martyr, inquisitor killed by the Cathars, that reminded the women of the true belief.