Giovanni Battista Bugatti was the official executioner of the Vatican for more than 60 years, from 1796 to 1864.
He gave people a pinch of tobacco as a small, final earthly comfort just before the execution.
He was respected and feared in Rome, and he only crossed the Tiber… pic.twitter.com/LCC7xjjHWy
— Trad West (@trad_west_) July 23, 2026