The ideas of the beautiful Cathars of Languedoc spread across western Europe

Cathar comes from the Greek: καθαροί, katharoi, “the pure [ones]”

They built on the dualistic theology of Manichaenism

Which they blended with the eastern Christianity of Byzantium

They were ascetic: believing the matetial world was the evil realm of Satan

Whilst the world of the spirit was the beautiful realm of good God(s).

Within each individual this battle between Good and Evil was mirrored

This syncretic blend of religions denied the vengeful Jehovah of the Old Testament

And was anathema to the powerful in Rome who launched an Inquisition and the Aligensian Crusade

This attempt at the genocide of an idea led to tens of thousands being massacred.

For instance, Simon de Montefort decreed than a hundred Cathars should have their eyes, lips and noses removed

A Cathar with one eye led them back to their village as a warning.

Cathars were strictly non-violent and this left them vulnerable to the hyper-violence of their age

From 1200 AD until 1250 AD thousands were burnt alive for refusing to recant or to take communion

It took hundreds of years to wipe out the human traces of this beautiful religion.

Now a few of their castles remain in the mountains of Languedoc

But their ideas have never died but have come alive again in a new age: veganism, vegetarianism, mysticism, equality of the sexes, living in the moment, alternative medicine

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

For the beautiful Cathars of Languedoc.