Disturbing and sometimes even shocking, yet highly interesting are the facts that Otto von Corvin reports in this book, published in 1845 under the title 'Historical Monuments of Christian Fanaticism.' He looks behind the scenes of the Roman Catholic Church and points out the abuses that have occurred from the beginnings of Christianity up to the early 19th century. His criticism ranges from the exaggerated cult of saints, which often devolved into almost pagan idol worship, to the sale of indulgences and the associated immorality of many clergy, as well as the unrestrained excesses of certain popes and the highly reprehensible conditions in the monasteries of that time. The 'Pfaffenspiegel' is a cultural-historical work whose great goal is enlightenment.