The Toulouse Heretic

  In August 1234, a women laid on her death bed in a home in Toulouse owned by her son in law.  She was a Cathar which was a Religion despised and feared by the Church of Rome.

  For many Cathars the Pope himself was the Anti-Christ!  And the Church of Rome was the “harlot of the Apocalypse” of the church of wolves.

  On that day in 1234, some Cathar Priests visited the women and gave her the sacred rite of consolidation Into the “last rites” of their religion.  A common occurrence  on the death bed of their faithful  believers. 

  But their arrival was noted by an informer hostile to the religion.  Perhaps she was being spied upon, because she was known as a Cathar supporter.  Her son in law acted as a courier for the Toulouse Cathars.

  The Dominican Inquisitors were with the Bishop of Toulouse, who had just said mass.  It was on this day that their founder Dominic de Guzman had been canonized and proclaimed in Toulouse. 

  The monks were about to have their evening meal then by divine “providence” the Prior was told of this dying woman openly accepting Cathar rites.   

 The Prior notified the Bishop who insisted that the Inquisition deal with this outrage to the “True” religion and So without finishing their meal the Inquisitors left with the Bishop to the home of the woman.

   They entered her home so suddenly that her friends weren't able to warn her of their arrival.   The bishop sat down beside her and calmly began to discuss her beliefs with her.  She felt no alarm, perhaps she didn't realize who was visiting her!  Perhaps she thought he was a Cathar priest, not a Roman priest Bishop! 

  Evidently unconcerned, she began to talk freely, thinking that this was part of the Cathar “death rites”.  The Bishop led her on, encouraging her to talk and telling her you “must not lie”.  “I tell you must be steadfast in your belief do not confess anything you do not believe in”.

 She replied with considerable composure and dignity “my lord what I say I believe, and I shall not change my commitment out of concern for the miserable remainder of my life”.

At this the Bishops demeanor changed and turned foul “therefore you are a heretic!”  He exclaimed for what you have confessed is the faith of heretics.  Accept what the Church of Rome believes......Believe!! 

  Showing courage the woman refused.  So the Bishop evoking Jesus Christ formally proclaimed her a Heretic and by doing so condemned her to death! 

 So was immediately picked up in her bed and carried outside to a nearby meadow outside of the city limits owned by the Count of Toulouse.  She was immediately burned to death!

The Bishop and the Dominican Inquisition made their way back through the streets of Toulouse and thanking God and their saintly founder they “ate with rejoicing what had been prepared for them." 

 A Dominican Monk, who had been present in the room concluded "God performed these works on the first feast of the Blessed Dominic to the glory and praise of his name."

The Blessed Dominic was a cruel and fanatical Spanish Monk, Dominic de Guzman who joined the anti-Cathar crusade and such was the zest and zeal for his passion that the Pope established in 1216 the order of the Dominicans.

They were to destroy heresy, utterly and finally by whatever means was necessary.  He died in 1221 and in 1234 the year the woman in Toulouse was burned to death he was made a saint by his friend who was made a Pope the previous year,Pope Gregory IX.