Barb and I have been busy writing a story for you and we will be posting alternately, one episode each per day.
So let's get started
Episode 1
"Professor Phlebas, Professor Phlebas! Over here sir!"
Phlebas hurried over to the source of the cry.
This could be it, the culmination of decades of research.
This skull that his assistant was uncovering so carefully could really be the skull of the legendary Cathar Perfecti, Barbara de Moore.
The Cathars, those legendary and mysterious heretics of the Languedoc, beloved of modern conspiracy theorists and 3rd rate thriller writers. Pure of spirit and simple in lifestyle, even their enemies could not deny their goodness. Bernard of Clairvaux stated that the Cathar "cheats no one, pushes ahead of no one, does violence to no one", and Bishop Fulk was told by those whom he pressed to persecute them that "We have relatives among them and we see them living lives of perfection"
Perfection was the goal. The Cathar lived simply. He or she sought perfection, and those who received their one and only sacrament of spiritual cleansing were known as the bonhommes, the perfecti, the spiritual elite, leading lives of austerity and charity.
Women were prominent among the Cathars, and there was none more prominent than Barbara de Moore. Famed for her chastity and spiritual purity, she rose to lead the people of Beziers by her saintly example in the year 1207. Unfortunately, the Pope of the day desired to bring these dangerous heretics to heel and found a ready tool in the greed of the northern French nobility. A crusade was declared in 1208, and in July 1209 Beziers was besieged by the crusader army.
Now Phlebas watched as the skull was removed carefully from the soil, the last resting place of this unfortunate woman.
So let's get started
Episode 1
"Professor Phlebas, Professor Phlebas! Over here sir!"
Phlebas hurried over to the source of the cry.
This could be it, the culmination of decades of research.
This skull that his assistant was uncovering so carefully could really be the skull of the legendary Cathar Perfecti, Barbara de Moore.
The Cathars, those legendary and mysterious heretics of the Languedoc, beloved of modern conspiracy theorists and 3rd rate thriller writers. Pure of spirit and simple in lifestyle, even their enemies could not deny their goodness. Bernard of Clairvaux stated that the Cathar "cheats no one, pushes ahead of no one, does violence to no one", and Bishop Fulk was told by those whom he pressed to persecute them that "We have relatives among them and we see them living lives of perfection"
Perfection was the goal. The Cathar lived simply. He or she sought perfection, and those who received their one and only sacrament of spiritual cleansing were known as the bonhommes, the perfecti, the spiritual elite, leading lives of austerity and charity.
Women were prominent among the Cathars, and there was none more prominent than Barbara de Moore. Famed for her chastity and spiritual purity, she rose to lead the people of Beziers by her saintly example in the year 1207. Unfortunately, the Pope of the day desired to bring these dangerous heretics to heel and found a ready tool in the greed of the northern French nobility. A crusade was declared in 1208, and in July 1209 Beziers was besieged by the crusader army.
Now Phlebas watched as the skull was removed carefully from the soil, the last resting place of this unfortunate woman.
... a perfect illustration for episode four! Coming tomorrow.
