Cathar Perfect

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Perfect (also known as a Parfait) was the name given to a Cathar priest.

Catharism was a religious movement with dualistic and Gnostic elements that appeared in the Languedoc around the middle of the 12^th century, branded by the contemporary Roman Catholic Church either as a heretical Christian sect or sometimes as a non-Christian religion. It existed throughout much of Western Europe, but its focus was in Languedoc and surrounding areas of what is now southern France. The Cathars were ruthlessly suppressed and finally exterminated by the Catholic Church in the 14th century.

During the time of the Cathar suppression, many Perfects led a hidden and itinerent existence - moving from village to village under cover of darkness, spending the days in barns or woods.

One of their main roles was to administer the "consolation" to the dying - this ensured admittance of the soul of the deceased to heaven and normally required a request from the recipient to a Perfect for the consolation - this meant that many Perfects would not administer the consolation to those who were beyond reason or sentient speech -as they clearly were not in a position to make the necessary request. However, some Perfects took a more relaxed view on who could receive consolation.

Perfects often took great personal risks to visit the dying and faced certain death if caught. Many Perfects were burned alive at the stake by the Catholic Church.