The word ‘Cathars’ refers to a Christian sect that emerged in the 12th century in southern France, known for its dualistic beliefs and a rejection of the material world. The Cathars held that the material world was created by an evil god, and they emphasized spiritual purity and asceticism. They rejected the authority of the Catholic Church and its sacraments. The movement was eventually suppressed by the Catholic Church through the Albigensian Crusade in the early 13th century. The term ‘Cathar’ is derived from the Greek word “katharos,” meaning “pure.”
