simony

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Pronunciation

• (British, America) IPA: /ˈsaɪ.mə.ni/, /ˈsɪ.mə.ni/

Noun

simony

1. The buying or selling of spiritual or sacred things, such as ecclesiastical offices, pardons, or consecrated objects.
   • 1989, Anthony Burgess, ‘Hun’, The Devil’s Mode:

     ‘There are those two,’ he then said, ‘who were recently arraigned on a charge of high simony. Fancying a monstrance and stealing it and proposing to sell it. They pleaded the usual pagan ignorance.’

   • 2007, Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon, Blue Bridge 2008, p. 37:

     He openly practiced simony; in other words, he sold benefices.

Synonyms

• Simonism

Translations

• French: simonie
• German: Simonie, Ämterkauf
• Italian: simonia
• Portuguese: simonia
• Russian: симони́я
• Spanish: simonía

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