Pagan trials were a series of historical events that took place during the Middle Ages and were commonly found in European countries. These trials were intended to identify and prosecute individuals accused of practicing pagan rituals or witchcraft. The trials often involved a step-by-step process that aimed to prove the guilt or innocence of the accused. The first step in the pagan trials was the accusation. Someone would accuse an individual of engaging in pagan practices or witchcraft. This accusation could be made by anyone, and often resulted from personal grudges, jealousy, or fear of the accused.
This accusation could be made by anyone, and often resulted from personal grudges, jealousy, or fear of the accused. After an accusation was made, the next step was the arrest and imprisonment of the accused. They would be detained in a local jail or holding cell, often in harsh conditions.
Meet Miraitowa, the official mascot of the Tokyo Olympics
The cartoony Miraitowa is the official mascot of the Tokyo Olympics, and it comes with surprising powers the athletes can only envy.
Every Olympics has its own mascot, officially hailed as the ambassador of the Games. Tokyo has two: Miraitowa for the Olympics and Someity for the Paralympic Games. Their lofty, stated purpose? To “embody the spirit of the Olympics and play a vital role in welcoming athletes and visitors to the Games,” per the International Olympic Committee.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games mascot Miraitowa (L) and Paralympic mascot Someity (R) attend a countdown event on July 24, 2018. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP via Getty Images
Olympic mascots run the gamut from cute to cuddly to quirky to downright catastrophic. Normally, they’re fictional characters or animals that either represent a native species or pay tribute to the cultural heritage of the locale. The mascots help sell the games: They’re on posters, bags, T-shirts, and live on in the form of plushies and stuffed animals.
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In Tokyo, the cartoony Miraitowa's name is a fusion of the Japanese words "mirai", which means “future”, and "towa", which means “eternity.” And it even has a personality. Yup, it’s based on the Japanese proverb: “Learn from the past and develop new ideas.”
What does that mean, you might wonder? Well, per the IOC, Miraitowa is “cheerful and remarkably athletic, with a very strong sense of integrity.” Oh and it can teleport, which will indisputably come in handy for organizers and athletes.
The Tokyo Paralympic mascot is Someity, which comes from the name of the cherry blossom someiyoshino. In English, it loosely translates to “so mighty.” According to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games website, Someity can fly, use the sensors on the sides of its head for telepathic powers, and move objects without touching them.
Olympic mascots the Hare, the Polar Bear and the Leopard stand by the extinguished Olympic flame during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics closing ceremony. Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images
The first mascot made its debut at the 1968 games in Grenoble. And its name was Shuss, a weird little dude. On skis. Even then, the IOC was savvy: You could buy Shuss keyrings, pins, magnets, watches and inflatables.
Even when mascots aren’t eyesores, they can still cause controversy. Take the threesome from 2014’s Sochi games: The Hare, the Polar Bear, and the Leopard. Vladimir Putin loves big cats, and was accused of rigging the vote to make sure that the Leopard made the final cut. Scandale!
Wenlock, the Olympic mascot and Mandeville (Blue), the Paralympic mascot are unveiled in London, England. Julian Finney / Getty Images
Or how about Wenlock and Mandeville, from the London games? It’s worth noting that London is one of the most surveilled cities in the world, with 73.31 cameras for every 1,000 people. So perhaps unleashing oddly-shaped mascots whose single eye was a camera lens — was a bridge too far.
Mascots of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon are unveiled in Beijing, China. Xinyu Cui / Getty Images
Beijing, host of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, recently unveiled its own mascot, named Bing Dwen Dwen, a wide-eyed panda in a suit of ice. Paris, the next city to host the Summer Games, will unveil its mascot either late this year or in 2022.
Every Olympics has its own mascot, officially hailed as the ambassador of the Games. Tokyo has two: Miraitowa for the Olympics and Someity for the Paralympic Games. Their lofty, stated purpose? To “embody the spirit of the Olympics and play a vital role in welcoming athletes and visitors to the Games,” per the International Olympic Committee.
During this time, they would be interrogated, and any evidence or witnesses against them would be gathered. The third step in the pagan trials involved the formal trial process. The accused would be brought before a tribunal or court, where they would face their accusers. The trial process often included examinations and cross-examinations, where witnesses would testify against the accused, and the defendant would have an opportunity to defend themselves. In many pagan trials, the use of torture was permitted as a means of extracting confessions or obtaining information. Torture methods varied but often included methods such as the rack, thumbscrews, or the strappado. The use of torture was justified as a means of getting the accused to confess to their crimes or to provide information about other pagans or witches in the community. If the accused confessed to their crimes, they would often face punishment. This could range from public humiliation, such as being paraded through the streets or placed in the stocks, to harsher punishments such as fines, imprisonment, or even execution. The severity of the punishment often depended on the jurisdiction and the severity of the crimes committed. If the accused maintained their innocence, the trial would proceed to the next step, which was the trial by ordeal. This involved subjecting the accused to a physical test or trial, which was believed to be a way for God to reveal the truth. Common forms of trial by ordeal included being thrown into water, where it was believed that innocent individuals would float and guilty individuals would sink, or being subjected to a heated iron or hot coals. Regardless of the outcome of the trial by ordeal, pagan trials often resulted in a guilty verdict. The accused would be punished, and their property or belongings might be confiscated by the authorities. This punishment was often intended not only to punish the individual but also to serve as a deterrent to others who might be considering practicing pagan rituals or witchcraft. In conclusion, pagan trials were a step-by-step process used during the Middle Ages to identify and prosecute individuals accused of practicing pagan rituals or witchcraft. These trials involved a series of steps, including accusation, arrest, imprisonment, trial, and punishment. The trials often included the use of torture and trial by ordeal and frequently resulted in guilty verdicts and punishments..
Reviews for "The Impact of Pagan Trials: A Step-by-Step Socio-Political Analysis"
1. John - 1 star - This demonstration was terrible. The presenter rushed through the steps without explaining anything properly. It felt like they were just trying to get it over with. I couldn't follow along at all. It was a waste of time and money.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with this demonstration. The presenter used outdated techniques and didn't provide any alternatives. The whole thing felt outdated and irrelevant. I expected more from a demonstration in the pagan community.
3. David - 1 star - I regret watching this demonstration. The presenter was monotone and unengaging. They didn't seem to have any passion for what they were doing, which made it incredibly boring to watch. The steps were also confusing and not explained clearly. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
4. Emily - 2 stars - I found this demonstration to be very underwhelming. The presenter seemed disorganized and unprepared. They kept fumbling over their words and repeating themselves. It made it difficult to follow along and understand what they were trying to demonstrate. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of professionalism.
5. Mark - 1 star - This demonstration was a complete waste of time. The presenter didn't seem to know what they were doing and stumbled through the steps. It was frustrating trying to follow along when they couldn't even articulate their process clearly. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for a quality demonstration.