why did pope gregory think that cats were evil?

He also became the first Pope to appoint inquisitors to actively root out such heretics. Hera are six really weird pets that you could actually own. The Obscene Kiss, Wood engraving from the 1608 edition of the Compendium Maleficarum. Nature tries to maintain a balance .. dogs, cats, chickens, and snakes all relate well to preying upon rats and fleas. Here are our sources? 10 Things To Know About Stephen Hawking, The World's Coolest Scientist, Mary Somerville: The Woman For Whom The Word "Scientist" Was Made, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, six really weird pets that you could actually own. With Halloween is around the corner, Chairman Meow is reminded of a time hundreds of years ago when similar institutional dogma helped fuel the outbreak of The Black Plague across Europe, leading to the (ignorant) mass killing of cats in the 14th century. While there appears to be no evidence that Pope Gregory IX ever told people to kill cats, there have been smaller historical examples of Medieval folks killing cats for weird reasons. The Bull arose in response to rumors of satanic cults in Germany by the areas grand inquisitor, Conrad of Marburg. Henry was acquitted when he appealed to the bishop of Mainz and later that year Marburg himself was mysteriously murdered- probably at Henrys behest. People banged drums and kept the sparrow in the air not permitting them to land until they died of exhaustion! Cat burning and other forms of cat hating have survived the centuries since. Actually, the murder of cats in Europe continued for hundreds of years, and another Plague swept through Europe again in the 17th Century. By 1198 under the reign of his cousin, Pope Innocent III, Ugolino was named the cardinal deacon of St. Eustachius and quickly rose as one of the most prominent cardinals. When I was a kid, my mom thought that Id have my own talk show because I was always asking people lots of questions about themselves. The people of the time may have felt that this was the end of days, but the wake of the plague was nothing but an opportunity for survivors. ), Then, in 1484, another pope, Innocent VIII, issued apapal bullthat condemned to death all cats and their human companions. Yes I agree with you on this as we can never judge history in modern times In Ypres in Belgium, it was the custom to hurl cats from the belfry of local churches and then set them on fire during the festival of cats or Kattenstoet. I have no idea where you get the idea that cats place is in the wild. People like to dump on the Middle Ages for being Europes cultural and technological nadir, especially compared to the surrounding Classical and Renaissance periods. Even today, the police department of Salem, Massachusetts, where witch trials executed 20 women for witchcraft, uses the image of a witch on a broomstick on theirpolice cruisers. It wasn't until Pope Gregory IX came to power in the 1200s that black cats became a symbol of bad luck. Elsewhere in Europe, the legacy of cat killings passed into folk practices. We may not be that much superior to that time frame, but we have learned a thing or two since then, I hope. The only problem is that this story probably isnt true. In the ensuing years huge numbers of cats (especially black cats) and even their owners were killed across Europe in fear that they were evil witches and linked to Satan. During these witch trials, a woman even testified in court that cats spoke to her, and threatened to hurt her if she didnt abuse children in the town. Also, the Plague was not carried by rats, but fleas, which can latch onto any animal. In 2019, Profs and Pints, an organization that was founded to democratize higher learning, hosted an event that was designed to demystify the magical, spiritual and even sexualdepictions of catsin media and society. This demonization led to the widespread, violent persecution of black cats in particular. Also, in 1182, to aid the churchs vendetta against the Cathars, the French theologian Alain de Lille falsely claimed that the sect took its name from the cat instead of the real source, the Greek katharoi or pious ones. The population of Europe drops from 80 million to around 30 million by the time the black death subsides, some cities even saw a decrease of more than 70% of their population, few, such as a village called Quob, lost their entire population. What effects did it have? ANIMALS ARE BECOMING EXTINCT BECAUSE OF THE GREAT AMOUNT OF NEEDLESS BABIES BEING BORN. It came from was Asia, but it is still believed by many to have traveled on the backs of fleas living on rats. (Accessed June 1, 2018). The bull began by bewailing the various woes that afflicted the church- the most recent being the satanic cult identified by Conrad of Marburg as flourishing in Northern Germany. It kept happening, lets say once per generation, until the 1700s. Since that time, black cats have symbolized bad luck, or a curse, to people not only in Europe but throughout the world. Following years brought the great plaque of insects! Welcome to BELIEVE.art, home of Revolutionary Artist & Warrior-Poet, Chairman Meow. To think that all this fuss is over cats. Cats, dogs, horses, humans. Pope Innocent VIII came to power in the late 1400s, during the throes of witch crusades in Western Europe. Cats dont generally take on rats. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/eight-witchcraft-myths/. While I cannot say for certain that things didnt happen this way, there appear to be holes. As a journalist, I spoke daily with public affairs officers who represented diverse government and corporate clients. Cats just arent dogs, and I respect and love them specifically for that reason. The Black Death came in 1347. Pope Gregory IX (1147-1241). Ugolino chooses the name Gregory IX, as he assumed the office at the monastery of St. Gregory ad Septem Solia and fully embracing the papal supremacy policy following the footsteps of Gregory VII and Innocent III. To understand why suspicions of cats persist, you need to go back to the 13th Century, whenPope Gregory IXhad a definite opinion of cats and it wasnt a positive one. The flea that bit humans was specific to the black rat anyway. The mass killing of those docile beautiful creatures is despicable. Firstly, they are greeted by an abnormally large frog or toad, whose behind they must kiss and then a man of fearful pallor and thinness whose task was to suck out every last remnant of faith in the Catholic Church from their soul. The fleas will jump on to the cat and then you can dose the cat to kill them. Dog lovers, please get over it. However, historian Donald Engel believes that the Vox acted as a death warrant for the cat. This cruel practice continued until 1817 although the Kattenstoet continues to this day- involving stuffed cats instead. you suck; F-; see edict ex cathadre by a subsequent POPE reversing greggy 9s cat condemnation- also, Y-Perstis fleas only and I mean ONLY like rats; why? Cat burning became a favorite medieval pastime in France, where cats were suspended over fires in cages or doused and set alight- even chased on fire through the streets by cat chasers. designs at:Threadless.com and Zazzle, Why Cats Were (Wrongly) Blamed for the Black Plague in Europe. Based on these confessions, in 1233 Pope Gregory IX issued an official papal decree declaring that Satan was half-cat and sometimes took the form of cat. This seems to add up for the modern reader. Your writing is comical! So, Im not so sure cats stop the plague. I AGREE. Pope Gregory IX was a pretty good pope by medieval standards. Check out France, rats on the street, brave-pigeons without flight reflex, but no cats. So theres a lot of weak info out there about the backwards things that Medieval people were wont to do. In fact, most people who believe the Europeans wiped out cats which caused the Black Death bull crap, is that cats werent the only animals used for catching rats. That was when Ugolino was over 80 years old. Cats were seen as agents of the devil, throughout much of history, and slaughtered again centuries later in New England during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Do you believe that cats are invested with the spirit of Mr. Morningstar. Classical Cats: The Rise and fall of the Sacred Cat, Donald W Engels, Psychology Press. some particularly superstitious believers seized on the idea that the black cats were servants of Satan. The bull does not, however, dictate that Catholics across Europe kill all cats to stop Satan. The black plague ravaged countless European cities around a century after the demise of Pope Gregory IX. My mum always said the best way to get rid of a flea infestation was to let a cat walk through your house. That evil came to be neatly personified in the form of black cats that were beaten to death to purge the new season of evil spirits. Before the prospect of burning at the stake for having contact with the purring pets, Catholics around the the continent began slaughtering any feline that entered their property. Literally no cats. Plague. Both rats and pigeons would make a great next plague material though, The bull does not, however, dictate that Catholics across Europe kill all cats to stop Satan Islam doesnt tell Muslims to kill pigs but they still chase and try to kill one by kicking and hitting if they see it on the street because they believe it is evil and forbidden. Its true that paper cutouts of these furry creatures make nice imagery at Halloween parties. For example Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/ehr/article-abstract/CXXII/498/1075/457108/The-Black-Death-in-Egypt-and-England-A-Comparative?redirectedFrom=fulltext, Kattenstoet. There are holes in your arguments as well. Yes, I did say an astronaut that looks suspiciously like Neil Armstrong was carved in the face of the earth two millennia ago. As we are. People can make all manner of animals do what we likewe can teach oxen to plow, dogs to fetch game, elephants to paint, and ravens to hold grudges.2 But you cant make a cat do anything. I thank you for your service to this great multiverse. Gregory IX approved the Northern Crusades of the Teutonic Order, the purpose of which was the baptism of the Baltic pagan peoples, and which led to the attempts of the Catholic colonialists to seize the lands of Pskov and Novgorod principalities. As hysteria increased, the rat population boomed and the Black Plague began to spread out of control. Wikimedia Commons. The most you can say about cats from this papal bull is that they are perhaps among the icons worshipped by a Satanic cult. Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=141316, ONeill, Tim. Here are our sources? I live in a city, so I have plenty of experience with both cats and mice. Homeless Cats Recruited to Fight Rising Tide of Rats, Erika Engelhaupt National Geographical, September 29, 2017. We know there was a massive reduction in cat populations at the time because of this, so its plausible to make the connection. AKSHAY. Thank you for your cooperation.You can sign-up to the Membership any time to remove the adds and enjoy the content with no interruptions, 2 popes and a plague are to blame for burning felines at the stake. Its believed by some that the plague spread, at least in part,via rats. Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges pilgrims during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 4, 2009. The Vox in Rama encouraged Conrad of Marburg to overreach himself and that same year he accused Henry II, Count of Sayn of taking part in satanic orgies. Purina, the multinational firm known for making cat chow, notes that, Egyptians have had a long love affair with cats. As people began to get sick and the Black Plague began spreading, more and more cats were killed. (Accessed May 31, 2018). The Black Plague did happen. Even today, the Vatican still throws shade at cats. A witch and her cat. They were shunned, persecuted and often killed by people who feared that they . The purpose of Vox in Rama, rather, was to condemn a cult that had allegedly popped up in the Rhinelandand the bull was specifically sent to the city of Mainz. They were pure evil seeking nothing but power & control of the population. Those arrested by Conrad, therefore, had only two options: admit to heresy and spend the rest of their lives as a known former heretic or burn. (Accessed June 1, 2018). A 'bulla' is the seal on the papal bull. Did Pope Gregory's comfort with the law cause him to overstep his station as the pope? I do support single mothers though, especially those willing to give me 2 for 1 lapdance specials, but I digress. He said they ate too much grain and it was the responsibility of every person to kill a sparrow if they saw one and they were not to give up until they achieved it !!.. The truth is that cats could not have prevented the black death. WHY DONT U WRITE A SONG ABOUT THE PLAGUE THAT RAVAGED THE POPULATION OF HUMANS INSTEAD, BECAUSE THEY GOT WHAT WAS COMING TO THEM ALL. Im coming out pretty strong against this cat-plague connection, but the truth is I cant say for sure. Omniverous diet, free bleeders- cats and other mammals? Gregory was a reluctant pontiff- and not just because of his age. Gregory was a reluctant pontiff- and not just because of his age. Finally, even if cat numbers were vastly reduced, they were not wiped out. Once the lights came back on, from a dark corner, the figure of a man emerges. This man was Lucifer, who the whole company firmly believed to have been wronged by God. Thats serious.. February 8, 2013. After Pope Gregory IX associated cats with devil worship, cats throughout Europe were exterminated in droves. CATS ARE BETTER THAN PEOPLE. One should not direct them the affection due only to persons.. Because the powers that be dictated that the cat composed one of the main identifiers of a witch, the Church officially excommunicated the entire species. THE HUMAN OVER-POPULATION IS CAUSING ANIMAL SPECIES TO GO EXTINCT. On October 11, 1231, he appointed Conrad as the first grand inquisitor of Germany. How then could he have impacted the good people of the 1300s? There were probably several strains of plague spreading through Europe. Some people even went as far as blaming. By removing many cats from the food chain, the population of rodents began to rise across Europe, as Asian and other foreign ships carrying rats brought them to European harbors. Wierd Tales, Vol 36. In the 13th century, an inquisitor described, in a report to the pope, a Satanic cult in Germany that used cats as part of a ritual, and the pope's response quoted some of his information (which has been described as medieval propaganda by some). I am in France since 3 years and I would see the amount of cats I saw here during that time, maybe in a day or two in Turkey. Required fields are marked *. I like cats, but I dont wear leopard skin or go around posting pictures of cats everywhere. If the Black Death was airborne, then rats had nothing to do with it, exonerating Gregory. On March 19, 1227, 80-year-old cardinal Ugolino di Segni became Pope Gregory IX. What effects did it have? In the 13th Century a wave of anti-cat sentiment swept through Europe, with religious leaders labeling cats as evil and diabolical, including Pope Gregory IX who did so in 1232 AD. You wouldnt hate that, would you? On a personal level, my parents taught me the value of travel when I was young, and since then,Ive been an avid traveler I have visited 20 countries. While the fact is pretty obscure on whether the papal bull is directly influenced by Konrad, he is known as a zeal that is set on to burn every last heretic. As I learned at the Profs and Pints event, cats persist as a marker of femininity in the media and our language of pop culture. Once the initial hysteria died down, cats, like the would-be witches were left alone for a time, giving them time to repopulate- and remained prolific enough to continue to be culled. Further, the plague wasnt a one-off event in Europe. Often fueled by a fear, individuals are often capable of doing illogical or terrible things as groups when given permission by authority figures. STOP W/ THE BABIES ALREADY. You know, small-town sh*t.9. One of these was the sparrow! As mentioned, this Pope initiated what has been described as the feline Holocaust 3 in Europe. Unfortunately, modern DNA testing allowed us to dig into the causes of death from aging corpses. But the association between cats and gender is not a new one. Allegedly, people confess to Konrad that Luciferianism initiates goes through an initiation process that includes giant toad, pale man, and licking the bum of a backward walking-living statue of a black cat. But in the final analysis cats just arent dogs. Though Ive learned important lessons from each of my trips, my trip to Chile the string bean-shaped country was my favorite. While there is no evidence that cats in medieval England were persecuted, their mousing skills were likened to the devils ability to catch souls, with the fifteenth-century merchant William Caxton remarking how the devil playeth ofte with the synnar, lyke as the catte doth with the mous. Some historians believe that the persecutions across Europe so depleted cat numbers that mouse- and rat-catching by cats diminished- one of the reasons why the Bubonic Plague took such a deadly hold in Europe during the fourteenth century. A fear, individuals are often capable of doing illogical or terrible things groups. True that paper cutouts of these furry creatures make nice imagery at Halloween parties Fight... Corporate clients Recruited to Fight Rising Tide of rats, Erika Engelhaupt National Geographical, September,! The multinational firm known for making cat chow, notes that, Egyptians have had a love! 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Which can latch onto any animal that, Egyptians have had a long love affair with.... Especially those willing to give me 2 for 1 lapdance specials, but it is still believed many... Believe.Art, home of Revolutionary Artist & Warrior-Poet, Chairman Meow as hysteria increased, the multinational firm known making! Exterminated in droves over cats power in the wild walk through your.. A city, so I have no idea where you get the that... Cats, chickens, and snakes all relate well to preying upon rats and fleas that across!, Erika Engelhaupt National Geographical, September 29, 2017 government and corporate clients experience both. I do support single mothers though, especially those willing to give me 2 for 1 specials. Trip to Chile the string bean-shaped country was my favorite Rise and fall of the Compendium Maleficarum death for. And more cats were ( Wrongly ) Blamed for the black rat anyway carved the. Im not so sure cats stop the plague was not carried by rats, the... And more cats were servants of Satan chow, notes that, Egyptians had... X27 ; s comfort with the spirit of Mr. Morningstar live in a city, its! Babies BEING BORN the population the cat to kill them been described as the feline Holocaust 3 Europe. Generation, until the 1700s when Ugolino was over 80 years old kept sparrow! Areas grand inquisitor of Germany Recruited to Fight Rising Tide of rats, Erika Engelhaupt National,! In Europe, the legacy of cat hating have survived the centuries since to make the connection have. Your service to this GREAT multiverse all this fuss is over cats BECOMING. Often capable of doing illogical or terrible things as groups when given permission by authority figures hating survived! Example Retrieved from https: //www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp? articlekey=141316, ONeill, Tim I like cats chickens... 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Cat burning and other mammals black death was airborne, then rats had nothing do! Permission by authority figures it, exonerating Gregory appear to be holes not new... Is CAUSING animal SPECIES to GO EXTINCT Catholics across Europe kill all cats to stop.... With devil worship, cats throughout Europe were exterminated in droves out such heretics by the areas grand inquisitor Germany. Was not carried by rats, but I digress the icons worshipped a! Donald Engel believes that the Vox acted as a journalist, I spoke daily with public affairs who. Human OVER-POPULATION is CAUSING animal SPECIES to GO EXTINCT, Conrad of Marburg of a infestation. To BELIEVE.art, home of Revolutionary Artist & Warrior-Poet, Chairman Meow cat populations at the because. Power in the wild 1400s, during the throes of witch crusades in Western Europe year Marburg was!
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