Final answer:
The worst punishment for being named a heretic by the Catholic Church was being burned at the stake.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the medieval period, being named a heretic by the Catholic Church could result in severe punishment. One of the worst punishments was being burned at the stake. This was authorized by Pope Innocent IV in 1252, and the heretics had to prove their innocence, confess, or face execution. The Inquisition, established by Pope Gregory IX, used torture and execution to impose religious homogeneity on western Europe.