A Discourse on the Albigensian Heresy

Pho-tius (1), and Peter the Sicilian—whom Rader (2) extracted from a Vatican manuscript—have pursued these matters: the latter of whom testifies; the Paulicians do not differ in any way from the Manichaeans... who, although they repeatedly claim to be foreign to the impurities of the Manichaeans, are nevertheless the most watchful guardians and defenders of their dogmas. Indeed, I believe it has been noticed by others, and I infer it myself from the words in which anathema A formal curse or excommunication by the Church. is pronounced against Paul, Sergius, Tychicus, etc., that this specific formula is no older than the 9th century.

But to return to the Albigensians A medieval religious sect in Southern France, often accused of dualist "Cathar" heresies., according to Peter the Monk Peter of Vaux-de-Cernay, a chronicler of the Albigensian Crusade., their dogmas included: that all the Fathers of the Old Testament were damned, and that John the Baptist was one of the greater demons. From Caesarius Caesarius of Heisterbach, a Cistercian monk and author., we learn they denied the resurrection of bodies; they rejected Baptism; and they blaspheme the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. He adds that metempsychosis metempsychosis: the philosophical term for the transmigration of souls or reincarnation was admitted by them; for he tells of a soldier who introduced the idea, and adds: the fool believed, just like the rest of the Albigensians, that the soul, according to its merit, passes through various bodies, even those of animals and serpents. William of Nangis reports, moreover, that these heretics blasphemed the Blessed Mary, the Mother of God (3).

Beausobre (4) contends that the ancient Manichaeans did not hold such perverse views regarding the salvation of the Old Testament Fathers, nor regarding John the Baptist; but one may learn otherwise from the Acts of Archelaus An early Christian polemic written against Mani, the founder of Manichaeism., known and authentic, which Epiphanius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Jerome, and other very ancient Fathers saw and included in their own writings. These were published by Zaccagni as they were found, albeit with some interpolations Later insertions or alterations to a text.: and in them, nothing is found that greatly contradicts these charges.

Among the manuscripts of his Library (5), Photius lists a work by Agapius titled Urania (why Fabricius (6) makes her his wife, I do not clearly see), in which he explains his errors—that is, those of the Manichaeans: among other things which Photius touched upon, he mocks the Old Testament, and Moses himself along with the Prophets; indeed, he even scoffs at the Forerunner of the Lord John the Baptist.. And Beausobre wrongly rejects that testimony, as he does the other of Didymus of Alexandria (8). He might perhaps use a slightly more convenient excuse for Agapius if he were to deny that he was so ancient that he could bear testimony concerning the oldest Manichaeans. For I, that I might believe that Agapius to be the one who is numbered among the disciples of Mani himself by Peter the Sic-

(1) Published by Montfaucon in the Coislin Library, page 349, etc.
(2) Ingolstadt, 1604. See page 3.
(3) In the Chronicle, volume 11, old edition of D'Achery, page 489.
(4) Part 2, book 1, chapter 4.
(5) Codex 179.
(6) Greek Library, volume 5, page 287.

(7) These are the words of Photius: original Greek: "he addresses these things to a certain woman named Urania, honoring her as a fellow philosopher" page 201, from the edition of Hoeschel, 1601.
(8) Auctarium A supplement or appendix to a collection of texts. of Combefis, volume 2, page 300.