Kathari

The Kathari were a spiritual movement that emerged in the Languedoc region of southern France in the 12th century. Their beliefs differed significantly from those of the mainstream Catholic Church, leading to their classification as heretics by the established religious authorities. Kathari doctrine centered on a dualistic worldview, positing the existence of two equal and opposing principles: a good God who created the spiritual realm, and an evil, material creator responsible for the physical universe. They believed that the material world was inherently corrupt and that salvation involved escaping the material body through ascetic practices.

Followers of Katharism, known as Kathari or "the pure," adhered to a strict moral code. This included abstaining from meat, alcohol, and sexual relations for those who had undergone their initiation rite, the Consolamentum. This ritual was a form of spiritual baptism considered essential for salvation. The Kathari had a hierarchical structure with a bishop and other clergy, and their services were simpler than those of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church viewed the Kathari as a grave threat. In 1209, Pope Innocent III launched the Albigensian Crusade, a brutal military campaign aimed at eradicating Katharism. The crusade, along with subsequent inquisitorial efforts, led to the persecution and eventual suppression of the Kathari movement by the mid-14th century. While their organized presence disappeared, some scholars suggest elements of their spiritual outlook may have persisted in popular belief.