Nicolas Antoine

Nicolas Antoine (c.1602 – April 20, 1632) was a French Protestant theologian and pastor who attempted to convert to Judaism, although he was never officially admitted to Judaism, due to fears by the Jewish community that persecutions would happen if it became known that he was an apostate of Christianity. He was advised instead to live the life of a crypto-Jew. He suffered martyrdom by being burned at the stake in Geneva on April 20, 1632.

Early life Nicolas Antoine was born of Catholic parents in 1602 or 1603 at Briey, a small town of Lorraine. Among his ancestors were a Jewish family who had converted to Christianity. For five years he attended the college at Luxemburg, and was then sent to Pont-à-Mousson, Treves, and Cologne for higher instruction under the Jesuits. They seemed to have little influence over him, as by the time he returned to Briey, at the age of twenty, he was no longer an ardent Catholic.

The doctrines of Protestantism attracted him, and he allowed himself to be converted by the fervent eloquence of Paul Ferry, a preacher of reputation, and pastor of the Reformed Church in Metz. The young convert then attended the academies of Sedan and Geneva in order to study the Reformed faith, but the deeper he delved into the study of Protestantism the less fervent became his enthusiasm; and he very soon arrived at the most unexpected conclusion; namely, that the Old Testament alone contained the truth.

Crypto-Judaism The rabbinate of Metz refused to receive the young man into Judaism, offering as an excuse the fear of reprisals on the part of the authorities, and Antoine was advised to go to the Netherlands or to Italy, where Jews enjoyed more liberty. a little village of the district of Gex, which had belonged to France since 1602, but was now under the religious jurisdiction of Geneva; and there Antoine obtained the position of pastor.

Once installed, he sought to pacify his conscience. Revealing his inmost convictions to no one, he secretly observed a thoroughly Jewish mode of life, saying his prayers in Hebrew and observing all the Mosaic rites. In his public services he pronounced the name of Jesus as seldom as possible.

His execution divided the citizens of Geneva and was the last public burning of heretics in the city.