The term “Cathari” refers to members of a sect that emerged in the Middle Ages, particularly in the 12th and 13th centuries in Europe. They are often associated with the Cathar movement, which was a Christian dualist or Gnostic revival that rejected the established Church’s teachings and practices. The Cathars believed in the existence of two opposing forces of good and evil and rejected the material world as corrupt. They were known for their ascetic lifestyle and held beliefs that were considered heretical by the Catholic Church, leading to significant conflict, including the Albigensian Crusade aimed at eradicating their influence in southern France. The term can also refer more generally to the principles and beliefs characteristic of the Cathar sect.
