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Catharism. An Introduction
Catharism. An Introduction
Catharism. An Introduction
CATHARISM
AN INTRODUCTION
GLASTONBURY
2016
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CATHARISM, AN INTRODUCTION
Published by: The Cathar Temple of Albion
Managing Editor: Minna De Groot
Editors: Myrrhophora Dennis, Herman Korneychuk, Anna Bondarenko
Design: Melankton Golubovich
MEDIEVAL CATHARISM
Medieval Catharism was widespread throughout Occitania
(currently the South of France) and the kingdoms of Aragon,
Navarre, Italy, Germany and Flanders, from the 11th till the beginning of the 14th century. Catharism succeeded the spiritual
tradition of Slavic and Balkan Bogomilism, and went even further back in history.
Cathars lived a simple life.
They shared what they had,
fed the needy, provided employment in their artisan
workshops, and consoled
and cared for the sick...
They lived according to the
virtues of good: unlimited
kindness, perfect purity, sacred love, peace, divine wisdom and divine justice. They did
not reject anyone. Cathars were a peaceful people who found
millions of followers throughout the world. In Europe alone,
more than 50 million people followed Catharism. In all places
where Cathar values were accepted, people lived in societies
ahead of their time, with a material and spiritual prosperity
that was unknown in neighbouring feudal societies.
Official history does not usually value the strength and development of Catharism in Spain (mostly in Catalonia). It was the
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CATHAR HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE
The main milestones of the Christian era of Catharism, which
preceded the modern day Cathar movement, are:
1. Ephesus (in Asia Minor, 1st century AD).
After Christs persecution Mary, Mother of Christ, together
with St. John, St. Andrew, Mary Magdalene and a few other
disciples left Jerusalem and moved to Ephesus, a Greek polis
at the time. The first and central Christian community was
established there. It flourished until the fourth century, when
the official Church started their persecution.
tianity for Western Europe and especially for the British Isles.
They brought the chalice of the Holy Grail, which, according
to legend, was the vessel filled with the blood of Christ, to
Britain and founded numerous Christian communities.
Later, in the 12th century, the Bogomil and Mary Magdalene branches united in the lands of Southern France. This is
when Catharism blossomed.
5. The great anointed ones (13th19th centuries).
Although the branch of good Christians has been persecuted
severely by the Inquisition in both Eastern and Western Europe, many historical traces of their existence have remained
to this day. Most saints of the Byzantine Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches were, according to historical records,
persecuted by church officials during their life and later, after
their death, were ascribed to the institute as their saints. John
of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, Father Pio in the West; Seraphim of Sarov, Innocent of Balta, and Sergiy of Radonezh in
the East belonged to the Cathar-Bogomil branch of Ephesian
Christianity and were the glorious successors of Christ.
6. The Second Golgotha (20th century).
The Second Golgotha is a concept, which unites the suffering of millions of righteous souls who gave their life for love
during the 20th century. Millions of Christs true disciples repeated His great deed and suffered in world and civil wars,
genocides, concentration and labour camps in different parts
of the world, for the sake of mankinds future.
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UNIVERSAL CATHAR
SPIRITUALITY
Cathar belief has kept its authenticity and evolved since medieval times. Catharism is a spiritual, historical movement, a
way of life and perception of the world.
Medieval Cathars built an unique civilization, whose base
consisted of the absolute certainty that Divinity abides within us, that man is good, that man is the highest treasure on
Earth. Catharism is not a medieval Christian sect, which was
persecuted by Roman Catholics, but the authentic Christianity of the first Ephesian community. It is based on universal
Christian virtues: love your neighbour, forgiveness, mercy
and selfless service.
THE BASICS OF
CATHAR SPIRITUALITY
GOD
The Cathar belief system originates from early Christianity
which was based on St. Johns Gospel. Cathars believe in God
the Heavenly Father, following Christ and being under the
protection of and dedicated to the All-Holy Virgin Mary and
Cathar saints.
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ness, and the other part is of mortal flesh. The Kind Father
sends All-good Spirit to restore mans divine being.
CATHARSIS
The basis of Cathar practice is catharsis: mans deep and
complete purification, which transforms his negative side
to divine. Catharsis includes introspection, analysis and
repentance.
CHRIST
Cathars believe that Christ is the Son of the Kind Father and
the elder brother for each and every human soul, who came
to this world through Immaculate Conception, brought His
Divinity to people, helping them to return to their divine origin and to restore their original relation with the Heavenly
Father.
DEATH
Cathars believe there is only physical death, the soul is eternal and transcends to the other world. Each human soul
achieves a certain destiny, depending on its earthly life. Cathars believe in reincarnation and in the possibility to change
their eternal destiny.
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CONSOLAMENTUM
This is the consolation of the soul at the moment of its conversion, and the sacrament of inheriting the grace of the
All-good Spirit. It has a few stages: Pure one, Perfect one,
Anointed one, and Immortal one.
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JOHN BOGOMIL
John Bogomil is undoubtedly a prominent personality: a
mystic of the highest rank, a notable thinker and a brilliant
writer. More than 500 divinely inspired books and treaties
flowed from his pen. He astounds with an inexhaustible
source of wisdom and the penetrating voice of the last truth.
John Bogomil was born in Russia in 1946. From an early age
he rejected Bolshevik ideals.
John received an excellent musical education and was an acknowledged, talented young poet. He was expected to pursue
a career as a writer, poet or musician, but he left everything
to become a pilgrim: he wanted to know God and the truth.
He travelled to many temples and monasteries, across many
lands. He looked for kind elder-guidance and found it in
Euphrosinia. Mother Euphrosinia belonged to a catacomb
branch of Bogomils. It was the Church of Martyrs that had
persecuted for centuries.
The spiritual elders of the catacomb church ordained John
Bogomil as a priest. He became the head of the secret branch
of the Church of Martyrs.
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CATHARISM OF
THE 21ST CENTURY
The Cathar community in Britain was established in 2012,
and is a branch of the international Cathar Church.
The goals of the Cathar Temple of Albion are to research and
shed light on the true history, culture and spirituality of Catharism in the widest sense and proclaim it as the original
foundation of general European culture. Catharism has always existed and did not perish.
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CONTENTS
MEDIEVAL CATHARISM...................................................................................3
THE CATHAR INFLUENCE...............................................................................5
THE CATHAR HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.........................................................6
God............................................................................................10
Creation.....................................................................................11
Man..........................................................................................11
Catharsis.....................................................................................12
Christ.........................................................................................12
Death...........................................................................................12
Consolamentum.........................................................................13
The famous movement of the European Cathars, destroyed by the Roman Inquisition in the Middle Ages, causes great interest today. The
outstanding thinker, John of the Holy Grail, rehabilitates and comprehends in a new way the phenomenon of Catharism, which was the
spiritual basis of European democracy and humanism. The Immortals
reveal themselves and explain the foundations of their unique spirituality, and invite the reader to inherit their treasury.
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Some accept the indisputable authority of the Tetraevangelion. Others add ancient apocrypha to it. John of the Holy Grail, Cathar writer
and spiritual leader, author of four hundred and fifty divinely revealed
books, says that thousands of sacred scrolls of the Eternal Gospel exist
and are stored in Heaven. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene is one of the
most beautiful pages of these mysterious scrolls.
CATHARISM XXI,
CONTACT US
Please telephone or email us if you require further information about modern day Cathars or wish to meet us. You can purchase Cathar books and
music by John Bogomil from The Cathar Temple of Albion.
Web: www.cathartemple.org
FB: The Cathar Temple
Tel.: +44 74 66 825 441, +44 77 46 277 614
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