"The sacrifice of the three friars was carried out on Wednesday morning, May 23. They were brought out of the palace and made to mount the scaffolding over the platform where the eight, the Colleges, the papal envoy, the General [of the Dominican Order], many canons, priests, and friars of various orders, and Bishop Paganotti, who was responsible for performing the degradation (defrocking) of the three friars, were assembled. The ceremony was performed there, on the ringhiera. ... None of them said anything, which caused great surprise, for everyone was hoping to see signs proving that what fra Girolamo previously told people was the truth. This was especially so for the righteous people who hoped that God would be glorified, righteous living would begin, the Church renewed, and the infidel converted. So they were not without bitterness and no one made any effort to offer excuses. Many lost their faith." [pp. 295]Their robes were taken from them one by one as the sentences of degradation were read out and friar Savonarola declared a heretic and schismatic and condemned to the flames. Their heads and backs were shaved and then turned over to the Eight who declared they would be hanged and then burned. First, was frate Silvestro whose rope was not tight and took some time to die repeating 'Gesu' again and again. Next, was frate Domenico da Pascia, and then frate Giromlamo Savonarola who said little. When they were dead, the scaffolding was pushed away from the platform, ringed with gunpowder and fuel for the fire and set ablaze. When all the remains were consumed by the fire all the bits were put in a wagon and carted to the Arno, near the Ponte Vecchio, and dumped in the river. Even so, some tried to gather the ashes, and secretly, for fear of reprisals.
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quote from Donald Weinstein: Savonarola: the rise and fall of a renaissance prophet , Yale University Press, New Haven, 2011
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