Without them, pests would run wild, and not just rats. Good luck keeping cat population low for 500 years. This is mainly because the black plague ravaged Asia before it goes on its way to Europe. Then each [returns] to his place and, speaking certain responses, they incline their heads toward to cat. Pope Gregory IX (Source: les.tresors.de.lys.free.fr) 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. Retrieved from https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/06/ravens-memory-unfair-trade/. Its also true that there was a pope at the time who was not a fan of cats, who banned them. The plague spread so easily that everyone back in the medieval age believes that the plague transfer via smell and air. To start, lets look at what Pope Gregory IX actually said about cats in his bull (special formatting is my own): As hysteria increased, the rat population boomed and the Black Plague began to spread out of control. In the meantime, accusations of witchcraft began to spread amongst the ordinary people, as a way of settling grudges or seizing property and cats began to be used as proof of satanic association. (dogma defined as the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology, or any kind of organization: it is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from). In the 13th century, Pope Gregory IX, pope from 1227-1241, believed that cats actually carried the spirit of Satan himself within them. Here are our sources? When I was a kid, my mom thought that Id have my own talk show because I was always asking people lots of questions about themselves. Gregory IX. Encyclopedia of World Biography, Encyclopedia.com. We accept this storythat we humans once crossed cats and it resulted in one in three of us dyingbecause it just feels rignt. 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. In the 13th century, an inquisitor described, in a report to the pope, a Satanic cult in Germany that used cats as part of a ritual, and the pope's response quoted some of his information (which has been described as medieval propaganda by some). Although witch trials did occur on a local scale, they were mainly for the practice of pre-Christian beliefs and tried in secular rather than ecclesiastical courts. Henry was acquitted when he appealed to the bishop of Mainz and later that year Marburg himself was mysteriously murdered- probably at Henrys behest. 2022 History of Yesterday | All Rights Reserved. The Bull arose in response to rumors of satanic cults in Germany by the areas grand inquisitor, Conrad of Marburg. Your email address will not be published. Because the powers that be dictated that the cat composed one of the main identifiers of a witch, the Church officially excommunicated the entire species. Pope Gregory IX initiated the feline holocaust in Europe which was to continue . To understand why suspicions of cats persist, you need to go back to the 13th Century, whenPope Gregory IXhad a definite opinion of cats and it wasnt a positive one. (Accessed June 1, 2018). Other sects, such as the Cathars or Albigensians had more esoteric beliefs. 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. Afterwards, they sit down to a meal and when they have arisen from it, the certain statue, which is usual in a set of this kind, a black cat descends backwards, with its tail erect. Many superstitions, including fear of black cats, continue to this day. And though its unlikely that historys most pro-natural environment pope will encourage cat bonfires, he does suggest we take a step away from the dog ice cream and cat outfits in the pet aisle. The truth is that cats could not have prevented the black death. Thats serious.. As was to be expected of a former angel The upper part of his body from the hips upward shines as brightly as the sun. However, his fall from grace was encapsulated by his lower body where his skin is coarse and covered with fur like a cat.. 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. Classical Cats: The Rise and fall of the Sacred Cat, Donald W Engels, Psychology Press. But in the final analysis cats just arent dogs. Evil cradles in the Austin Powers franchise. A quick Google search shows that a felinefemme fatalecat mask is conveniently available on Amazon for only $25.22. That evil came to be neatly personified in the form of black cats that were beaten to death to purge the new season of evil spirits. Dogs are sweet but they dont really have that self respect that cats do. 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. Did Pope Gregorys comfort with the law cause him tooverstephis station as the pope? I am here because of a PBS documentary on cats that I saw recently. Of course, the Bubonic Plague also motivated the kitty killings, as many believed that cat germs contributed to the plagues spread. His papacy started when hereticism run rampant in Europe, and yet, by the end of his term, he saw the completion of one of the most important canon law in the Catholic Church known as the Decretales Gregorii IX, excommunicated Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, and (allegedly) founded the earliest incarnation of the papal inquisition. Queen Elizabeth I celebrated her coronation with the burning of a cat-stuffed effigy. As people began to get sick and the Black Plague began spreading, more and more cats were killed. Once the lights came back on, from a dark corner, the figure of a man emerges. This man was Lucifer, who the whole company firmly believed to have been wronged by God. Information junkie with high probability of being a real-life Ted Mosby. By Gregorys decree, there was a target on the head of every black cat. Then, there is the fact that cats just arent good ratters-, which is why dogs; especially terriers are employed to catch rodents. We know there was a massive reduction in cat populations at the time because of this, so its plausible to make the connection. Not only that he founded the papal inquisition to prosecute heresy, but he also issues a papal bull a legal decree issued by a pope, designated as Vox in Rama that calls for crusades condemning the spread of heretics that follows Luciferianism in Mainz, Germany. For years there was a debate if the Black Death and the Bubonic Plague were the same, adding speculation to the rat spreading theory. However, historian Donald Engel believes that the Vox acted as a death warrant for the cat. Cats were later blamed for the Black Death (13461352), though rats were actually the culprit. And the Black Death didnt just travel to Europeit did its thing in Egypt, too, where it may have done more damage than it did in England.7. Want more crazy cat facts? Cat burning became a favorite medieval pastime in France, where cats were suspended over fires in cages or doused and set alight- even chased on fire through the streets by cat chasers. The flea that bit humans was specific to the black rat anyway. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Is-the-Vox-in-Rama-authentic-What-effects-did-it-have, Sheldon, Natasha. Remember: Egyptians were known for being cat lovers, and Asia is where cats originally came from. Many of these rodents had fleas that carried diseases including the Black Plague. Actually, the murder of cats in Europe continued for hundreds of years, and another Plague swept through Europe again in the 17th Century. They were hunted into extinction ! And thats the official take on Halloween from theVatican News. If anything, the cathunt is Konrads interpretation of the papal bull. They were pure evil seeking nothing but power & control of the population. The cats play into the picture as they would have normally been instrumental in cutting down the rat populations. Some historians have forgiven the rats. As a strategic communicator, I juggle many balls but Im a writer first. Like most diseases, were hard pressed to find thebad guy. In those days, papal inquisitors extracted confessions from prisoners that they worshiped the devil and his black cat by torturing them vigorously. THE HUMAN OVER-POPULATION IS CAUSING ANIMAL SPECIES TO GO EXTINCT. Is the Vox in Rama authentic? Chairman Meow Says: Iz so awful that such a time occurred in our history. On a personal level, my parents taught me the value of travel when I was young, and since then,Ive been an avid traveler I have visited 20 countries. Constantly told the Truth is stranger than fiction!!! Over many centuries, Egyptians found that a cat was the one creature that could make the world safe, according to Purina. Apparently snakes and scorpions were threats too. They definitely dont stop fleas. Yeah you have a good point there! But feline-human relations deteriorated sometime in the early 1230s (CE) when Pope Gregory IX issued a papal bull called Vox in Rama. They catch cockroaches, snakes, and scorpions too. According toSmithsonian Magazine, the Nazca geoglyphs may have been used for astrological, calendrical purposes as well as religious rituals to encourage rainfall and fertility. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Is-the-Vox-in-Rama-authentic-What-effects-did-it-have, PetMD. BELIEVE! This persecution was so savage that some scholars believe that by the 1300s, Europes cat numbers were sufficiently depleted to prevent them efficiently killing rats and mice- thus allowing the bubonic plague to spread. The Church had already accused the Waldenses of worshipping the devil in the form of a cat. The only problem is that this story probably isnt true. The author provides citations for his claims. ps. Heretical beliefs were on the rise at the time, . I am in France since 3 years and I would see the amount of cats I saw here during that time, maybe in a day or two in Turkey. Pope Gregory IX became pope of the Catholic Church in 1227 and he wanted to kill cats. He tended to treat all those accused as guilty until proven innocent and threatened all those who would not confess with the flames. When an animal is removed from the ecosystem (especially out of fear) it usually causes a chain reaction. Gregorys response was to issue the Vox in Rama. The following rites of this [sect] are carried out: When any novice is to be received among them and enters the sect of the damned for the first time, the shape of a certain frog [or toad] appears to him. Either way, his account cant be true. HUMAN OVER-POPULATION ISNT PRETTY, IT IS THE CAUSE BEHIND CHRONIC WARS. During these witch trials, a woman even testified in court that cats spoke to her, and threatened to hurt her if she didnt abuse children in the town. Not only were they a source of companionship they were also a status symbol and source of worship. Purina. On June 13, 1233, he issued a papal decree, Vox in Rama, based on bogus evidence provided by a Spanish Inquisitor. Even today, the Vatican still throws shade at cats. However, it was also a piece of papal legislation that was notable in another way, for the Vox was the first papal bull to associate the cat with witchcraft. (2007, September 1). But, was it because of cats andrats? (Accessed 2018, June 1). Buy Long Live the Kitty! So theres a lot of weak info out there about the backwards things that Medieval people were wont to do. People banged drums and kept the sparrow in the air not permitting them to land until they died of exhaustion! This info on Pope Gregory the ASSWHOLE is just another scandal caused by a Pope. After food, clothing and medicine, the fourth item is cosmetics and the fifth is pets, he said, referring to a study on where most peoples income goes. February 8, 2013. Purina, the multinational firm known for making cat chow, notes that, Egyptians have had a long love affair with cats. Such heresies could not be left unchecked to spread around the population and thus undermine the Churchs authority. 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. Good read, thanks! Anyone with a thing against cats may get some satisfaction from a weird history "fact" circulating on the internet. It was one of the most deadly pandemics in history. Costs of living dropped. The few versions of this story that bother to give anything like some substantiation claim that cats were declared servants of evil by Pope Gregory IX in 1232 or even that he declared that they should all be killed. His condemnation of cats may not be responsible for the spread of black death, but it's definitely connected to the decline in cat populations at the time, and the proliferation of rat populations. Like a lot of other myths about history from the Middle Ages, the idea that Europeans wiped out cats and then paid for it with the Black Death makes more sense the less you think about it. A 'bulla' is the seal on the papal bull. The Bubonic plague was carried not by rats themselves but their fleas; fleas which could just as easily transfer to dogs- and cats. Before you accuse me of clickbait, hear me out. On June 13, 1233, Pope Gregory IX instigated the first bull of his papacy: the Vox in Rama. Fewer cats, more rats, more fleas, and more plague. Pope Gregory IX (1147-1241). In fact, most people who believe the Europeans wiped out cats which caused the Black Death bull crap, is that cats werent the only animals used for catching rats. The most you can say about cats from this papal bull is that they are perhaps among the icons worshipped by a Satanic cult. Sometimes it appears unduly large, and sometimes equivalent to a goose or a duck, and sometimes it even assumes the size of an oven. Gregory was a reluctant pontiff- and not just because of his age. The Black Death came in 1347. That was the first church document condemning black cats as instruments of satan. But this means that a papal bull that didnt tell people to wipe out cats and was only sent to Mainz somehow influenced the majority of people throughout Europe to kill off all their cats, and to stick to it over the course of the next 115 years. Does the dwindling population of cats indirectly cause the infamous Black Death? These new, heretical beliefs varied. Some people are sick. Thanks, . 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. However, history shows that the Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the mid 1300s, was actually caused by rats and the fleas on them. https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/plague/factsheet.asp. Wages rose fast in the absence of labor. On June 13, 1233, Gregory issued the Vox in Rama, an official papal decree declaring that Satan was half-cat and sometimes took the form of a cat during Satanic masses. (2017, February 6). Some believed that the disappearance of those cats helped rats spread the bubonic plague aka the Black Death that killed millions of people in the 1300s. Meanwhile, they need that meat on the regular and know how to get it, so theyre great at killing and eating vermin. So as you say, cats couldnt have contained bubonic plague. Finally, even if cat numbers were vastly reduced, they were not wiped out. (2017, June 6). In my home, I use cat statuettes as bookends, and have various other representations of these felines throughout my home. As I understand it, people used small dogs for rat hunting. 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. This cruel practice continued until 1817 although the Kattenstoet continues to this day- involving stuffed cats instead. Guess what? Both rats and pigeons would make a great next plague material though, The bull does not, however, dictate that Catholics across Europe kill all cats to stop Satan Islam doesnt tell Muslims to kill pigs but they still chase and try to kill one by kicking and hitting if they see it on the street because they believe it is evil and forbidden. A witch and her cat. why did pope gregory think that cats were evil? On June 13, 1233, the Pope issued the Vox in Rama to King Henry of Germany. Though Ive learned important lessons from each of my trips, my trip to Chile the string bean-shaped country was my favorite. In any case, the various popes saw nothing wrong with burning heretics alive, so they already had a savage reputation. (Accessed June 1, 2018). Literally no cats. Firstly, they are greeted by an abnormally large frog or toad, whose behind they must kiss and then a man of fearful pallor and thinness whose task was to suck out every last remnant of faith in the Catholic Church from their soul. Conrad had initially been involved in the persecution of the Cathars and enjoyed significant successes during the Albigensian crusade of 1209 -1229. Between 1347 and 1352, some 100 million people died of the Plague, representing almost half of Europes population. According to Pope Gregory IX, cats were the embodiment of the devil himself. Unfortunately, modern DNA testing allowed us to dig into the causes of death from aging corpses. Thus, whether the population of cats went down or not, the plague would still exist. Dog lovers, please get over it. Indeed, there is evidence of animals dying from the Plague. It mentioned Pope Gregorys hate on for cats. This demonization led to the widespread, violent persecution of black cats in particular. Theres one thing you havent considered. 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. And anyone who tries to understand them as the devil incarnate or as a female marker hasnt spent enough time enjoying a cat walking all over them, kneading them or running from cucumbers. The Pope also gave Conrad carte blanche to deal with all heretics as he saw fit- including permission to disregard usual church rules. *Coupons: Check out our coupons for stores like Checks Unlimited and CheapOair! (Accessed June 1, 2018). Interestingly enough, the author of the article writes that one reason cats are evil is that they are the favored pets of witches. Actually, witches both modern ones and the one who were burned at the stake during Middle Ages owned cats because being close to nature is central to theirreligious beliefs. No one can say for sure how many cats were killed because of the association made between them and witchcraft by the Vox in Rama. I SAY GOOD FOR ALL THOSE SENSELESS HUMANOIDS. Yes I agree with you on this as we can never judge history in modern times The truth of the plague variations that wiped out Europe is, they were the results of a perfect storm. But how did cats become to be seen as evil? 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. Interesting article. The fleas will jump on to the cat and then you can dose the cat to kill them. The purpose of the papal bull Vox in Rama, was to condemn a cult that had allegedly popped up in the Rhinelandand the bull was specifically sent to the city of Mainz. https://historycollection.co/thou-shalt-not-suffer-a-cat-to-live-why-pope-gregory-ixs-vox-in-rama-implicated-cats-in-devil-worship/3/, Of course, theres also the wee tiny fact that the paranoia about witchcraft didnt really start to get into full swing until the 16th and 17th century, and that included black cats. THE RELIGIOUS SECTOR ARE OUT OF THEIR MINDS W/ THEIR POOR REASONING OF ENCOURAGING BIG FAMILIES. Conrads methods for identifying heretics were questionable to some. 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. As a journalist, I spoke daily with public affairs officers who represented diverse government and corporate clients. Great read! Some people even went as far as blaming. For some reason, we find the idea that our ancestors were dumb rather appealing. Poor cats though. People in medieval Ypres, Belgium, had a festival called Kattenstoet where theyd throw cats from the belfry tower to symbolize the killing of evil spirits. Because the powers that be dictated that the cat composed one of the main identifiers of a witch, the Church officially excommunicated the entire species. Public Domain. The popes were all hypocrytical, bastards. Wikimedia Commons. They both carry fleas, only the mice never jump in my lap and bunt their head-glands all over my jeans. 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. I do support single mothers though, especially those willing to give me 2 for 1 lapdance specials, but I digress. Good luck keeping them down for half a millennium.6, Maybe the biggest hole in the cat theory comes from the history of the plague. Pope Gregory IV (Latin: Gregorius IV; died 25 January 844) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from October 827 to his death. It was his distaste for cats that penned the Vox in Rama. Medieval people were indeed superstitious (but so are modern people), and cats are great but, lets face ittheyre assh*les. Even in Egypt, where they still view cats as sacred animals, plague hits. Answer: This looks like a job for History for Atheists! Missionary Activity under Pope Gregory the Great. I get why we have dogs. It wouldnt be the first time Catholicism has decided an animal once worshipped by pagans needed to be rebranded as Satanic (see: goats). In this case, with no cats around, disease-carrying rats multiplied like crazy, spreading the Plague. Since that time, black cats have symbolized bad luck, or a curse, to people not only in Europe but throughout the world. Both believed that cats were satanic and Marburg came up with evidence as to why cats are satanic. Before the 13th century, many societies, . The Vox described the depraved rituals of the cult in detail, portraying the devil worshipped by the witches as a shadowy half cat and half man figure. THE HUMAN POPULATION NEEDS TO BE CUT BACK BECAUSE OF THEIR EVIL NATURE. For a lot of folks, everything you need to know about the Middle Ages you can find in Braveheart or Monty Pythonit was a simple, stupid period when superstition ruled the land, heads rolled daily, and people were covered in sh*t all the time. At first glance, these rites, with their orgies and obscenities seem to be deliberately far-fetched. The Black Plague did happen. The black plague ravaged countless European cities around a century after the demise of Pope Gregory IX. Thus, purported heretics, such as the Cathars and Waldensians, were accused of worshipping cats, according toMedievalists.net. When an animal is removed from the ecosystem (especially out of fear) it usually causes a chain reaction. The Vox (or Voice in Rama, after the city of Ramah in ancient Judah) beseeched the archbishops Mainz and Hildesheim to lend their full support to Conrad in his efforts to root out the cult and its adherents. 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.