It was preposterous to imagine that Christ wished to change bread and wine into His Body in the Eucharist. The Cathari considered transubstantiation as the worst of abominations, since matter, in every form, was the work of the Evil Spirit. They interpreted the Gospel texts in a figurative sense: at "This is My Body," they said, simply means: "This represents My Body," thus antic.i.p.ating the teaching of Carlstadt and Zwingli. They all agreed in denouncing Catholics for daring to claim that they really partook of the Body of Christ, as if Christ could enter a man's stomach, to say nothing worse; or as if Christ would expose Himself to be devoured by rats and mice.

The Cathari, defying the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, rejected the sacrifice of the Ma.s.s. G.o.d, according to them, repudiated all sacrifices. Did He not teach us through His prophet Osee: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice."[1]

[1] Osee vi. 6.

The Lord's Supper which the Apostles ate so often was something altogether different from the Roman Ma.s.s. They knew nothing of sacerdotal vestments, stone altars with shining candelabra, incense, hymns, and chantings. They did not worship in an immense building called a church--a word which should be applied exclusively to the a.s.sembly of the saints.

The Cathari, in their hatred of Catholic piety, railed in the most abusive language against the veneration of images, and especially of the cross. The images and statues of the saints were to them nothing but idols, which ought to be destroyed. The cross on which Jesus died should be hated rather than reverenced. Some of them, moreover, denied that Jesus had been really crucified; they held that a demon died, or feigned to die in His stead. Even those who believed in the reality of the Saviour's crucifixion made this very belief a reason for condemning the veneration of the cross. What man is there, they said, who could see a loved one, for example a father, die upon a cross, and not feel ever after a deep hatred of this instrument of torture? The cross, therefore, should not be reverenced, but despised, insulted and spat upon. One of them even said: "I would gladly hew the cross to pieces with an axe, and throw it into the fire to make the pot boil."

Not only were the Cathari hostile to the Church and her divine worship, but they were also in open revolt against the State, and its rights.

The feudal society rested entirely upon the oath of fealty (_jusjurandum_), which was the bond of its strength and solidity.

According to the Cathari, Christ taught that it was sinful to take an oath, and that the speech of every Christian should be yes, yes; no, no.[1] Nothing, therefore, could induce them to take an oath.

[1] Matt. v. 37; James v. 12.

The authority of the State, even when Christian, appeared to them, in certain respects, very doubtful. Had not Christ questioned Peter, saying: "What is thy opinion, Simon? The kings of the earth, of whom do they receive tribute or custody? of their own children, or of strangers?" Peter replied: "Of strangers." Jesus saith to him: "Then are the children free (of every obligation)."[1]

[1] Matt. xvii. 24, 25.

The Cathari quoted these words to justify their refusal of allegiance to princes. Were they not disciples of Christ, whom the truth had made free? Some of them not only disputed the lawfulness of taxation, but went so far as to condone stealing, provided the thief had done no injury to "Believers."[1]

[1] Contrary to the Catholic teaching, the Cathari absolved those who stole from "non-believers," without obliging them to make rest.i.tution. Dollinger, _Beitrage_, vol. ii, pp. 248, 249, cf. pp.

245, 246.

Some of the Cathari admitted the authority of the State, but denied its right to inflict capital punishment. "It is not G.o.d's will," said Pierre Garsias, "that human justice condemn any one to death;" and when one of the Cathari became consul of Toulouse, he wrote to remind him of this absolute law. But the _Summa contra haereticos_ a.s.serts: "all the Catharan sects taught that the public prosecution of crime was unjust, and that no man had a right to administer justice;"[1] a teaching which denied the State's right to punish.

[1] _Summa contra haereticos_, ed. Douais, p. 133, Moneta, op. cit., p. 513.

The Cathari interpreted literally the words of Christ to Peter: "All that take the sword shall perish with the sword,"[1] and applied the commandment _Non occides_ absolutely. "In no instance," they said, "has one the right to kill another;"[2] neither the internal welfare of a country, nor its external interests can justify murder. War is never lawful. The soldier defending his country is just as much a murderer as the most common criminal. It was not any special aversion to the crusades, but their horror of war in general, that made the Cathari declare the preachers of the crusades murderers.

[1] Matt. xxvi. 52.

[2] Cf. Dollinger, _Beitrage_, vol. ii, p. 199.

These anti-Catholic, anti-patriotic, and anti-social theories were only the negative side of Catharism. Let us now ascertain what they subst.i.tuted for the Catholic doctrines they denied.

Catharism, as we have already hinted, was a hodgepodge of pagan dualism and Gospel teaching, given to the world as a sort of reformed Christianity.

Human souls, spirits fallen from heaven into a material body which is the work of the Evil Spirit, were subject on this earth to a probation, which was ended by Christ, or rather by the Holy Spirit.

They were set free by the imposition of hands, the secret of which had been committed to the true Church by the disciples of Jesus.

This Church had its rulers, the Bishops, and its members who are called "the Perfected," "the Consoled," and "the Believers."

We need not dwell upon the episcopate of the Catharan hierarchy.

Suffice it to say that the Bishop was always surrounded by three dignitaries, the _Filius Major_, the _Filius Minor_, and the Deacon.

The Bishop had charge of the most important religious ceremonies: the imposition of hands for the initiation or _consolamentum_, the breaking of bread which replaced the Eucharist, and the liturgical prayers such as the recitation of the Lord's Prayer. When he was absent, the _Filius Major_, the _Filius Minor_, or the Deacon took his place. It was seldom, however, that these dignitaries traveled alone; the Bishop was always accompanied by his Deacon, who served as his _socius_.

One joined the Church by promising (the _Convenenza_) to renounce the Catholic faith, and to receive the Catharan initiation (the _consolamentum_), at least at the hour of death. This was the first step on the road to perfection. Those who agreed to make it were called "the Believers." Their obligations were few. They were not bound to observe the severe Catharan fasts, which we will mention later on. They could live in the world like other mortals, and were even allowed to eat meat and to marry. Their chief duty was "to venerate" "the Perfected," each time they entered their presence.

They genuflected, and prostrated themselves three times, saying each time as they rose, "Give us your blessing;" the third time they added: "Good Christians, give us G.o.d's blessing and yours; pray G.o.d that He preserve us from an evil death, and bring us to a good end!"

The Perfected replied: "Receive G.o.d's blessing and ours; may G.o.d bless you, preserve you from an evil death, and bring you to a good end." If these heretics were asked why they made others venerate them in this manner, they replied that the Holy Spirit dwelling within them gave them the right to such homage. The Believers were always required to pay this extraordinary mark of respect. In fact it was a _sine qua non_ of their being admitted to the _Convenenza._

The _Convenenza_ was not merely an external bond, uniting "the Believers" and "the Perfected," but it was also an earnest of eternal salvation. It a.s.sured the future destiny of "the Believers;" it gave them the right to receive the _consolamentum_ on their death-bed.

This remitted all the sins of their life. Only one thing could deprive them of "this good end," viz., the absence of one of the Perfected, who alone could lay hands upon them.

Those who died without the Catharan _consolamentum_ were either eternally lost, or condemned to begin life anew with another chance of becoming one of "the good men." These transmigrations of the soul were rather numerous. The human soul did not always pa.s.s directly from the body of a man into the body of another man. It occasionally entered into the bodies of animals, like the ox and the a.s.s. The Cathari were wont to tell the story of "a good Christian," one of "the Perfected," who remembered, in a previous existence as a horse, having lost his shoe in a certain place between two stones, as he was running swiftly under his master's spur. When he became a man he was curious enough to hunt for it, and he found it, in the self-same spot. Such humiliating transmigrations were undoubtedly rather rare.

A woman named Sybil, "a Believer" and later on one of "the Perfected," remembered having been a queen in a prior existence.

What the _Convenenza_ promised, the Catharan initiation or _consolamentum_ gave; the first made "Believers," and predisposed souls to sanct.i.ty; the second made "the Perfected," and conferred sanct.i.ty with all its rights and prerogatives.

The _consolamentum_ required a preparation which we may rightly compare with the catechumenate of the early Christians.

This probation usually lasted one year. It consisted in an honest attempt to lead the life of "the Perfected," and chiefly in keeping their three "lents," abstaining from meat, milk-food and eggs. It was therefore called the time of abstinence (_abstinentia_). One of "the Perfected" was appointed by the Church to report upon the life of the postulant, who daily had to venerate his superior, according to the Catharan rite.

After this probation, came the ceremony of "the delivery"

(_traditio_) of the Lord's Prayer. A number of "the Perfected" were always present. The highest dignitary, the Bishop or "the Ancient,"

made the candidate a lengthy speech, which has come down to us:

"Understand," he said, "that when you appear before the Church of G.o.d you are in the presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, as the Scriptures prove," etc. Then, having repeated the Lord's Prayer to "the Believer" word for word, and having explained its meaning, he continued: "We deliver to you this holy prayer, that you may receive it from us, from G.o.d, and from the Church, that you may have the right to say it all your life, day and night, alone and in company, and that you may never eat or drink without first saying it.

If you omit it, you must do penance." The Believer replied "I receive it from you and from the Church."[1]

[1] Cledat, _Rituel Cathare_, pp. xi-xv.

After these words came the _Abrenuntiatio_. At the Catholic baptism, the catechumen renounced Satan, with his works and pomps. According to the Catharan ritual, the Catholic Church was Satan.

"The Perfected" said to the Believer: "Friend, if you wish to be one of us, you must renounce all the doctrines of the Church of Rome,"

and he replied: "I do renounce them."

--Do you renounce that cross made with chrism upon your breast, head, and shoulders?

--I do renounce it.

--Do you believe that the water of Baptism is efficacious for salvation?

--No, I do not believe it.

--Do you renounce the veil, which the priest placed upon your head, after you were baptized?

--I do renounce it.[1]

Again the Bishop addressed "the Believer" to impress upon him the new duties involved in his receiving the Holy Spirit. Those who were present prayed G.o.d to pardon the candidate's sins, and then venerated "the Perfected" (the ceremony of the _Parcia_). After the Bishop's prayer, "May G.o.d bless thee, make thee a good Christian, and grant thee a good end," the candidate made a solemn promise faithfully to fulfill the duties he had learned during his _probatio_. The words of his promise are to be found in Sacconi: "I promise to devote my life to G.o.d and to the Gospel, never to lie or swear, never to touch a woman, never to kill an animal, never to eat meat, eggs or milk-food; never to eat anything but fish and vegetables, never to do anything without first saying the Lord's Prayer, never to eat, travel, or pa.s.s the night without a _socius_. If I fall into the hands of my enemies or happen to be separated from my _socius_, I promise to spend three days without food or drink. I will never take off my clothes on retiring, nor will I deny my faith even when threatened with death."

The ceremony of the _Parcia_ was then repeated.

[1] Sacconi, _Summa de Catharis_, in Martens and Durand, _Thesaurus novus anecdotorum_, vol. v, p. 1776.

Then, according to the ritual, "the Bishop takes the book (the New Testament), and places it upon the head of the candidate," while the other "good men" present impose hands upon him, saying: "Holy Father, accept this servant of yours in all righteousness, and send your grace and your Spirit upon him." The Holy Spirit was then supposed to descend, and the ceremony of the _consolamentum_ was finished; "the Believer" had become one of "the Perfected."

However, before the a.s.sembly disposed, "the Perfected" proceeded to carry out two other ceremonies: the vesting and the kiss of peace.