'''Simony''' is the [[sin]] of buying or selling holy offices for money. It is named after Simon Magus, who attempted to buy his way into the early church, as reported in the Book of [[Acts]] (Acts 8:18-20). Simony is not often heard of in the modern day, but in previous centuries when [[bishop]]s and [[cardinal]]s held great temporal power it was often widespread. In his [[Inferno]], [[Dante]] condemns several [[Pope]]s of the time for this sin, although Simon Magus himself is punished for the worse crime of [[magic|sorcery]].
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'''Simony''' is the [[sin]] of buying or selling holy offices for money. It is named after [[Simon Magus]], who attempted to buy his way into the early church, as reported in the Book of [[Acts]] (Acts 8:18-20). Simony is not often heard of in the modern day, but in previous centuries when [[bishop]]s and [[cardinal]]s held great temporal power it was often widespread. In his [[Inferno]], [[Dante]] condemns several [[Pope]]s of the time for this sin, although Simon Magus himself is punished for the worse crime of [[magic|sorcery]].
The Medieval practice of selling [[indulgence]]s can also be considered a form of simony.
The Medieval practice of selling [[indulgence]]s can also be considered a form of simony.