Catharism et Cathars

 Called "Cathars" (ancient Greek καθαρός / katharós, "pure") the followers of a religious movement medieval Christian dualist. The name was given by the enemies of this movement is considered heretical by the Catholic Church and later adopted by historians. 'Community of two levels, "the followers of this movement called themselves" good men "," Good Women "or" good Christians ", but were called" Perfect "by the Inquisition, which designates the" perfect heretics ", ie those who received the Comforter, ie the imposition of hands and was preaching, as opposed to mere" followers "heretics.

. Occitanie mainly concentrated in the counties of Toulouse and Albi Beziers-Carcassonne-CATHARISM suffered violent repression army from 1208 during the crusade against the Albigenses and condemned ⁱⁿ the fourth Lateran Council in 1215, during a century The judicial repression of the Inquisition.

. In the ^mid-twelfth century (1167) Cathar churches were about 800 in France. . ^In the thirteenth century, in 1226 a new diocese was created, the Razès, the region of Limoux. Churches were independent. They recognize no authority higher than that of citizens, like the pope for the Roman Church. Homes "perfect" were united under the authority of a deacon, and each headed by a former or prioress. The bishop himself was attended by a "major son 'and a' minor son, who were chosen from among the deacons and its successor, the son replacing the minor becoming major son bishop to death of it, this will happen frequently when the persecution starts. . Women could get the console, and access to the perfect life, but we do not instructed to keep the same role as men.  Indeed, they did not have the burden of preaching or giving the sacrament, they are not attributed not function relationships.

 Through this organization, the Cathars may have tried to imitate the early church as described in the New Testament (in the epistles of St. Paul and the Acts of the Apostles, mainly)

Click on map

In 1207, Innocent III excommunicated Raimond VI of Toulouse, a great friend of the Cathars, for breach of the moral order. Fearing that its fields not to be confiscated, Raimond tries to reconcile with Rome, and a meeting with his Legate, Pierre de Castelnau, was arranged at St. Gilles in early 1208. Unfortunately, Pierre de Castelnau was assassinated. The Pope asks the King of France Philippe-Auguste send Ost (Crusader army) led by Simon de Monfort *, a lord of the North, vulgar and ruthless, and holds few possessions in his fief.  We are in 1208, the Crusade will last 50 years, and until the death of Guilhem Bellibaste last Bonhomme, in 1321, the Inquisition will continue to eradicate this dissent

*It will perish on 25 June 1218, in a shot from a catapult operated by women Toulouse.

Source Wikipédia + Divers