sanbenito

[ san-buh-nee-toh ]

/ ˌsæn bəˈni toʊ /

an ornamented garment worn by a condemned heretic at an auto-da-fé.

a penitential garment worn by a confessed heretic, of yellow for the penitent, of black for the impenitent.

Origin of sanbenito

1550–60; < Spanish, named after San Benito Saint Benedict, from its resemblance to the scapular believed to have been introduced by him

He continued his apostolate and, on a second trial, he was condemned to perpetual prison and sanbenito.

A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 3 |Henry Charles Lea
I would rather have put on a sanbenito myself than have gone there.

The Spanish Brothers |Deborah Alcock
Two years and a half were spent on the trials of Diego and Ana, ending with a sentence of irremissible prison and sanbenito.

A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 3 |Henry Charles Lea
This saco bendito became known as the sanbenito or, more commonly, abito and was necessarily inherited by the new Inquisition.

A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 3 |Henry Charles Lea

He had received 150,000 maraveds by selling to penitents exemptions from wearing the sanbenito, or penitential garment.

A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 1 |Henry Charles Lea

sanbenito

/ (ˌsænbəˈniːtəʊ) /

a yellow garment bearing a red cross, worn by penitent heretics in the Inquisition

a black garment bearing flames and devils, worn by impenitent heretics at an auto-da-fé

C16: from Spanish San Benito Saint Benedict, an ironical allusion to its likeness to the Benedictine scapular