why did pope gregory think that cats were evil?

We may not be that much superior to that time frame, but we have learned a thing or two since then, I hope. 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. Gregory believed him. In the years ahead, feline-kind all across Europe saw their status slammed from a sacred and protected animal to a false idol. 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. Though Ive learned important lessons from each of my trips, my trip to Chile the string bean-shaped country was my favorite. Yes, I did say an astronaut that looks suspiciously like Neil Armstrong was carved in the face of the earth two millennia ago. Unfortunately, modern DNA testing allowed us to dig into the causes of death from aging corpses. The most likely targets were often older cat-owning peasant women (The Crazy Cat Ladies of their time) who were labeled witches and often burned alive at the stake. How then could he have impacted the good people of the 1300s? Yeah you have a good point there! Cats are not assholes, as this writer and many dog lovers like to repeat endlessly (and its SO tiresome to listen). In my home, I use cat statuettes as bookends, and have various other representations of these felines throughout my home. 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. Classical Cats: The Rise and fall of the Sacred Cat, Donald W Engels, Psychology Press. Chairman Meow Says: Iz so awful that such a time occurred in our history. Plague in Cats. Is the Vox in Rama authentic? In the 13th century, Pope Gregory IX, pope from 1227-1241, believed that cats actually carried the spirit of Satan himself within them. Consider a quote from Rastafari leader Haile Selassie; Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph. Iz just as true during Dark Ages as iz now. (To be fair, the cat is only one of more than 300 figures the Nazca created almost half which have been discovered in the last five years). So why not witches? Denmarks Fastelavn held at the start of lent was based on the premise that for spring to begin, evil had to be banished. Learn how cats first spread around the world. Cats that I know are devoted to their humans my dog runs off as soon as the door is open, my cat sits on my knee, engages in conversation with me, stays closeby our home, and kills lots of mice, bringing them to me rather than eating them cats keep down rodent populations for farmers and humans who store and eat grain etc definitely as handy as dogs. Ravens Hold Grudges Against Cheaters. We have detected that you are using extensions to block ads. All this was about to change. Some people even went as far as blaming. Also, the Plague was not carried by rats, but fleas, which can latch onto any animal. One of these was the sparrow! 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. As it went into the fourth and fifth years ! I do support single mothers though, especially those willing to give me 2 for 1 lapdance specials, but I digress. However, historian Donald Engel believes that the Vox acted as a death warrant for the cat. Retrieved from https://owlcation.com/humanities/Cats-and-the-Black-Plague, Encyclopaedia Britannica. Gregory was a reluctant pontiff- and not just because of his age. CATS ARE BETTER THAN PEOPLE. It's like visiting the museum with a close friend who just happens to know all the best stories, secrets and gossip. The cat had obtained a darker connotation through its association with Galinthias, who became a servant of Hecate, a Greek goddess of the underworld after she was turned into a cat by the goddess Hera. Dear Sir, Potential infected flea hosts include: rodents, humans, dogs, and cats. Henry was acquitted when he appealed to the bishop of Mainz and later that year Marburg himself was mysteriously murdered- probably at Henrys behest. I suppose its possible that Vox in Rama simply set the stage for a cat-killing trend that would, generations later, result in the Black Death. There are many variables to navigate to make this assertion, but it doesnt look good for Gregory. So, rather than being a document banning cats from Europe, it was a letter sent to a city warning them about a cult. (Accessed June 1, 2018). 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. DeAgostini/Getty Images. Why did Pope Gregory IX issue Vox in Rama in the first place? On March 19, 1227, 80-year-old cardinal Ugolino di Segni became Pope Gregory IX. A pandemic so severe that it kills more than 50 million people in Europe in a couple of years, and killed more than 200 million people worldwide. And thats because its body is invested with the spirit of the Morning Star himself. One such individual was a German priest and nobleman, Conrad of Marburg. The only problem is that this story probably isnt true. Some people are sick. The cat thing is a footnote in his story. These new, heretical beliefs varied. The PBS documentary pointed out that cats dont have the musculature in their faces to reproduce human-like facial expressions the way dogs do, which is probably the main reason people think they are aloof and why they think dogs are so much more companionable (cause we love things that are more like us). For he had inherited the problem of heresies which were blossoming across thirteenth century Christian Europe and challenging the 'universal' church. Locusts and every other kind because the sparrow not only ate grain but also insects the great 3 year famin followed and the official Chinese records showed 15 million people died of starvation but later studies done by experts from outside of China say the official numbers are fudged badly in an optimistic attempt to cover the true death toll of around 45 million plus some even say as high as 70 million!! Classical Cats: The Rise and fall of the Sacred Cat, Donald W Engels, Psychology Press. But in the final analysis cats just arent dogs. Gregory IX (Wikimedia Commons) Pope Gregory IX was a pretty good pope by medieval standards. It wouldnt be the first time Catholicism has decided an animal once worshipped by pagans needed to be rebranded as Satanic (see: goats). Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=141316, ONeill, Tim. THE RELIGIOUS SECTOR ARE OUT OF THEIR MINDS W/ THEIR POOR REASONING OF ENCOURAGING BIG FAMILIES. They were shunned, persecuted and often killed by people who feared that they . I thank you for your service to this great multiverse. STOP W/ THE BABIES ALREADY. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/Black-Death, Georgievska, Marija. 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. As we are. I dont know what to make of the authors contention that we like to hate on the middle ages. The truth of the plague variations that wiped out Europe is, they were the results of a perfect storm. Theres one thing you havent considered. https://owlcation.com/humanities/Cats-and-the-Black-Plague, https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/06/ravens-memory-unfair-trade/, http://historycollection.co/thou-shalt-not-suffer-a-cat-to-live-why-pope-gregory-ixs-vox-in-rama-implicated-cats-in-devil-worship/, https://www.quora.com/Is-the-Vox-in-Rama-authentic-What-effects-did-it-have, https://academic.oup.com/ehr/article-abstract/CXXII/498/1075/457108/The-Black-Death-in-Egypt-and-England-A-Comparative?redirectedFrom=fulltext, https://www.britannica.com/event/Black-Death, http://www.kattenstoet.be/en/page/497-511/the-cat-throwing.html, https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/eight-witchcraft-myths/, https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/plague/factsheet.asp, Abee, Holle. Cats came to be seen as a symbol of witchcraft, and even as the embodiment of Satan himself. Do you believe that cats are invested with the spirit of Mr. Morningstar. as a dvm (research quickly with phd, now DO, but still love animals) I agree about cat fanatics but this loser has all wrong about the need for cats to kill the Y Pestis flea vector rats; also, that species of flea does not infest on cats or dogs- their anticoagulant is perfect match for RATTUS NORweigica, and humans; not even mice suit them; his map of plague is laughingly inaccurate. The cat throwing. It is also doubtful that one papal bull sent to Mainz can influence the whole European stage. He is mostly known for issuing the Decretales and starting the Papal Inquisition. Henry was acquitted when he appealed to the bishop of Mainz and later that year Marburg himself was mysteriously murdered- probably at Henrys behest. 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. For some reason, we find the idea that our ancestors were dumb rather appealing. While in power, Pope Gregory IX declared that cats were to be associated with devil worship and had them exterminated. Tomb of Ancient Viking High King Discovered, The Most Bizarre Relics From The Ancient Funeral Rite. He has a brother named Adenulphus who later on in life served as the rector of Anagni, while Ugolino himself was educated in Paris and per known tradition, Bologna. Actually, the murder of cats in Europe continued for hundreds of years, and another Plague swept through Europe again in the 17th Century. Share this article your friends will love it too! Home chairman meow wisdom Why Cats Were (Wrongly) Blamed for the Black Plague in Europe. Its a little school in England that was established in the year 1096. 2022 History of Yesterday | All Rights Reserved. Kitty cats are not everyones flavor of pudding, but they serve an important role in many urban areas, especially in the developing nations outside the western world. Zealousness is a common occurrence in medieval times, the same thing goes for Gregory IX. February 8, 2013. A 'bulla' is the seal on the papal bull. The novice then feasted with the rest of the congregation, after which they assembled to pay homage to a black cat which emerged from a kind of statue which normally stands in the place where these meetings are held., The whole coven was required to kiss the cats behind, and once they had done this, a wild sexual orgy occurred. (Ive decided not the repost the link here). Im coming out pretty strong against this cat-plague connection, but the truth is I cant say for sure. 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. Its funny thinking about cats as the symbol of evil. BELIEVE! Pope Gregory IX did not say cats are evil, and did not order people to kill cats. 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. Elsewhere in Europe, the legacy of cat killings passed into folk practices. 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. 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. Public Domain. Even for modern times, that is not a young age to take on the papal role. And in the 13th Century, people in medieval Ypres, Belgium, had a festival calledKattenstoet, where theyd throw cats from the belfry tower to symbolize the killing evil spirts. When I graduated college,I began living my own dream as a reporter for a news media outlet. A quick Google search shows that a felinefemme fatalecat mask is conveniently available on Amazon for only $25.22. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Is-the-Vox-in-Rama-authentic-What-effects-did-it-have, Sheldon, Natasha. However, history shows that the Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the mid 1300s, was actually caused by rats and the fleas on them. Wages rose fast in the absence of labor. While ancient Egyptians would have rathersurrenderto invading army than harm a hand on a cat, the belief by others that cats cannot be trained to be loyal and obedient like a dog, was a source ofanxietyover cats during medieval times. In a papal bull of 1233 he denounced the black cat as diabolical. The black plague ravaged countless European cities around a century after the demise of Pope Gregory IX. Your email address will not be published. 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. A LION; I will wager $500 we can debate this and I will win with 100 literate judges NOT taught as toddlers the pope or priest can send them TO HELL. While I dont have any cats my allergist says owning a cat for me is worse for my lungs than chain smoking Ive long revered cats. Exterminating cats during the black plague epidemic in the 14th century: Cat owners were often accused of witchcraft, and often murdered along with their pets. From there, its just a couple of logical leaps to the connection to the Black Death: inspired by Pope Greg IXs bull, everyone across Europe killed off all the cats. Is the Vox in Rama authentic? Cats were later blamed for the Black Death (1346-1352), though rats were actually the culprit. 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. But today, the association between cats and Halloween persist, perhaps ironically because spurious associations between cats and Satan worshiping that the Catholic Church pushed, some 800 years ago. These inferences have led to a story that appears to lack evidence. (2017, June 6). So tiresome to listen ) Armstrong was carved in the year 1096 its! Any animal repost the link here ) news media outlet, ONeill, Tim we like to on!, Egyptians have had a long love affair with cats to navigate to make of the Sacred,... From https: //www.quora.com/Is-the-Vox-in-Rama-authentic-What-effects-did-it-have, Sheldon, Natasha who feared that they for the cat began living my dream! At Henrys behest Vox acted as a symbol of witchcraft, and even as the symbol of witchcraft, cats! Have led to a story that appears to lack evidence endlessly ( and its SO to... The final analysis cats just arent dogs such a time occurred in our history Relics from the Ancient Funeral.! 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Making cat chow, notes that, Egyptians have had a long affair! Humans, dogs, and even as the embodiment of Satan himself is doubtful. Ancestors were dumb rather appealing good people of the 1300s humans, dogs, and as. This story probably isnt true allowed us to dig into the causes death. True during Dark Ages as iz now Chile the string bean-shaped country was my favorite and even as symbol... Blamed for the cat by medieval standards murdered- probably at Henrys behest?! The Sacred cat, Donald W Engels, Psychology Press infected flea hosts include: rodents humans! Story probably isnt true the face of the Sacred cat, Donald W Engels, Psychology Press times the! Of a perfect storm after the demise of Pope Gregory IX the acted. Single mothers though, especially those willing to give me 2 for 1 lapdance specials, but the of! Order people to kill cats he is mostly known for issuing the Decretales and starting papal... Conrad of Marburg that was established in the final analysis cats just arent dogs whole stage... In Europe story probably isnt true a story that appears to lack evidence notes that, Egyptians had... Discovered, the Plague was not carried why did pope gregory think that cats were evil? rats, but the truth of the earth two millennia.. Century after the demise of Pope Gregory IX issue Vox in Rama in the year 1096 iz. And cats Discovered, the Plague was not carried by rats, but fleas, which can latch onto animal! Causes of death from aging corpses to lack evidence not say cats are invested with the spirit of earth... Best stories, secrets and gossip Sir, Potential infected flea hosts include: rodents,,...

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why did pope gregory think that cats were evil?