Once the initial hysteria died down, cats, like the would-be witches were left alone for a time, giving them time to repopulate- and remained prolific enough to continue to be culled. 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. It was his distaste for cats that penned the Vox in Rama. Gregory was a reluctant pontiff- and not just because of his age. 2022 History of Yesterday | All Rights Reserved. If you survived, you lost many people you loved. Many believed this was the end of the human race, and who could blame them? Good luck keeping cat population low for 500 years. If the Black Death was airborne, then rats had nothing to do with it, exonerating Gregory. Pope Gregory IX did not say cats are evil, and did not order people to kill cats. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofyesterday_com-box-3','ezslot_6',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-box-3-0');uper-spies James Bond and Austin Powers dont have cats. For example Theres one thing you havent considered. On October 11, 1231, he appointed Conrad as the first grand inquisitor of Germany. He tended to treat all those accused as guilty until proven innocent and threatened all those who would not confess with the flames. By rough estimates, as many as 200 million people died. 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. February 8, 2013. I am here because of a PBS documentary on cats that I saw recently. That is, pope condemning cats and declaring satanistique is enough for some people to start mass-killing cats, this assholes claims are 100% wrong; more than one pope ordered cats killed- why not, eventually excommunicaated? But it starts to fall apart once you roll it around in the ol brainpan. 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. His condemnation of cats may not be responsible for the spread of black death, but its definitely connected to the decline in cat populations at the time, andthe proliferation of rat populations. Learn how cats first spread around the world. AKSHAY. The most you can say about cats from this papal bull is that they are perhaps among the icons worshipped by a Satanic cult. Cats breed quickly, know how to survive on their own, and are hard to catch. Here are our sources? Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Is-the-Vox-in-Rama-authentic-What-effects-did-it-have, PetMD. I get why we have dogs. Once the initial hysteria died down, cats, like the would-be witches were left alone for a time, giving them time to repopulate- and remained prolific enough to continue to be culled. It wasn't until Pope Gregory IX came to power in the 1200s that black cats became a symbol of bad luck. In the decree, he declared that Satan is half cat and claimed that there were . 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. Granted, Im sure it was easier to get into back then, but thats right in the Medieval period. 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. Often fueled by a fear, individuals are often capable of doing illogical or terrible things as groups when given permission by authority figures. Pope Gregory IX (Source: les.tresors.de.lys.free.fr) People banged drums and kept the sparrow in the air not permitting them to land until they died of exhaustion! 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. Did Pope Gregorys comfort with the law cause him tooverstephis station as the pope? The flea that bit humans was specific to the black rat anyway. 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. And thats because its body is invested with the spirit of the Morning Star himself. 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. However, historian Donald Engel believes that the Vox acted as a death warrant for the cat. The mass killing of those docile beautiful creatures is despicable. 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). It also provided a remarkably full account of their Satanic rite. Pope Innocent VIII came to power in the late 1400s, during the throes of witch crusades in Western Europe. They definitely dont stop fleas. Pope Gregory IX became pope of the Catholic Church in 1227 and he wanted to kill cats. Retrieved from https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/06/ravens-memory-unfair-trade/. Wildcat7 Youd rather see an animal domesticated for thousands of years in the wild doing what they are meant to do than indoors as pets? The bull called upon the bishops of Mainz and Hildesheim to lend Conrad their full support in rooting out these witches. In an era when unknown phenomena seemed like they could only be explained by powerful deities, it seemed only natural to the Egyptians to worship kitty cats. Lets see if the math adds up. 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. Dear Sir, Wierd Tales, Vol 36. The Church had already accused the Waldenses of worshipping the devil in the form of a cat. Before the 13th century, many societies, . He also became the first Pope to appoint inquisitors to actively root out such heretics. 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. Vermin did a number on harvests, but cats were natures perfect solution: they literally cant eat anything that isnt meat, which means that they pose no risk to the crops. Homeless Cats Recruited to Fight Rising Tide of Rats, Erika Engelhaupt National Geographical, September 29, 2017. Lastly, a bit of science about the plague: the disease is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is initially transmitted by fleas, which pass it to their hosts. Nature tries to maintain a balance .. dogs, cats, chickens, and snakes all relate well to preying upon rats and fleas. Not only were they a source of companionship they were also a status symbol and source of worship., Egyptians have had a long love affair with cats. We know there was a massive reduction in cat populations at the time because of this, so its plausible to make the connection. While in power, Pope Gregory IX declared that cats were to be associated with devil worship and had them exterminated. Name is important in the papacy as it is seen as a signal of how their reign is envisioned. They fly in the face of the Christian idea of God putting the natural world and its creatures here for humanitys benefit. Evil cradles in the Austin Powers franchise. Like, if I were to think of evil depictions on display in a museum, this would be one of them. 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. Ugolino di Conti was born around 11451170 in Anagni, Rome. It kept happening, lets say once per generation, until the 1700s. Home; About; Contacts; Location; FAQ Konrad has evidence of people worshipping Lucifer and black cats, he also seems to possess some sort of confession. They both carry fleas, only the mice never jump in my lap and bunt their head-glands all over my jeans. For example, ever heard of Oxford University? 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. Im on the fence about getting an electronic cat that responds to touch (i.e., purring, meowing and flicking its robotic tail) but I can see why Egyptians of antiquity fell in love with cats. I would suggest that theres more to the story. These new, heretical beliefs varied. We may not be that much superior to that time frame, but we have learned a thing or two since then, I hope. The truth is a little messy. It was Gregorys past as an astute lawyer that connected him to his acts of justice within the church. 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. 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. (Accessed 2018, June 1). I soon realized thatpublic affairs combined the best of both worlds of journalism and television talk shows I get to learn interesting and unusual things about people who worked with me, I then get to tell their story. In 1233, Pope Gregory IX's "Vox in Rama," a warning against the perils of witchcraft, accused its targets of canoodling with a black cat that was actually Lucifer in disguise. Ugolino chooses the name Gregory IX, as he assumed the office at the monastery of St. Gregory ad Septem Solia and fully embracing the papal supremacy policy following the footsteps of Gregory VII and Innocent III. That is the well-accepted history, but is it really true? To learn more about me and my digital travels, visit myTwitterpage. Cat burning and other forms of cat hating have survived the centuries since. Even for modern times, that is not a young age to take on the papal role. Then, there is the fact that cats just arent good ratters-, which is why dogs; especially terriers are employed to catch rodents. (Accessed June 1, 2018). It came from was Asia, but it is still believed by many to have traveled on the backs of fleas living on rats. We may still see the effects of the mass cat slaughter today: Its been suggested that the small black cat population in Europe today is a direct result of that breed being deemed particularly devil-like. However, amongst the warped fantasies were some bare facts from past beliefs which lent themselves to the dark image of witchcraft the church was attempting to conjure. When an animal is removed from the ecosystem (especially out of fear) it usually causes a chain reaction. Zealousness is a common occurrence in medieval times, the same thing goes for Gregory IX. Elsewhere in Europe, the legacy of cat killings passed into folk practices. you suck; F-; see edict ex cathadre by a subsequent POPE reversing greggy 9s cat condemnation- also, Y-Perstis fleas only and I mean ONLY like rats; why? By removing many cats from the food chain, the population of rodents began to rise across Europe, as Asian and other foreign ships carrying rats brought them to European harbors. Based on the Vox in Rama translation there is no exact phrase that urges Konrad or other inquisitors to go on a cathunt all across Europe. Home chairman meow wisdom Why Cats Were (Wrongly) Blamed for the Black Plague in Europe. 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. This demonization led to the widespread, violent persecution of black cats in particular. Gregory believed him. For some reason, we find the idea that our ancestors were dumb rather appealing. Pope Gregory IX initiated the feline holocaust in Europe which was to continue . 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. Cats absolutely devastate wildlife when out in nature, killing millions of birds and having been responsible for extinction of species. Nazca, a culture that lived in what is now Peru, etched a 37-meter-long geoglyph of a cat in the coast plain some 2,000 years ago. The Sphinx being the most obvious representation of their reverence of cats, Egyptians also covered their walls with images ofregal-lookingcats and made fine statues of them too. 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. To think that all this fuss is over cats. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Museum Hack leads small group, VIP museum tours that are fun, fast-paced and surprisingly cool. However, historian Donald Engel believes that the Vox acted as a death warrant for the cat. While the papal bull was sent to several rulers such as Emperor Frederick II and King Henry of Germany, the central prominent figure that assumes that task very seriously is one Konrad von Marburg. Remember: Egyptians were known for being cat lovers, and Asia is where cats originally came from. Ugolino assumes the mantle of the pope immediately in the papal election of 1227 after the death of Pope Honorius III (Conrad of Urach was chosen initially, but declined). Long Live Chairman Meow Propaganda Poster, This Is Fine Meme: Dog Drinks Coffee In Burning House. Further, the plague wasnt a one-off event in Europe. Answer: This looks like a job for History for Atheists! WHY DONT U WRITE A SONG ABOUT THE PLAGUE THAT RAVAGED THE POPULATION OF HUMANS INSTEAD, BECAUSE THEY GOT WHAT WAS COMING TO THEM ALL. 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. They came to us willingly because we offered so much prey and have been a benefit to mankind whether you like em or not. Not a cat person? It is also doubtful that one papal bull sent to Mainz can influence the whole European stage. Some people even went as far as blaming. Cats were beloved by Egyptians. We know they had terrier like dogs in Medieval Europe and that they were used as ratters. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/eight-witchcraft-myths/. Gregory immediately recognizing Conrad as a useful tool in his war against religious dissent. You literally cannot even be bothered to recall the NAMES of the people youre talking about. 1999. Honestly, I feel like even thinking that the cathunt resulted or directly influence the black plague is a bit of a stretch. 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, especially black cats, were now seen as evil and representatives of the . He believed that cats were evil creatures because they were related to Satan. What effects did it have? 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. 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'historyofyesterday_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_5',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');Ancient Peruvians may have been attracted to cats in a way similar to Egyptians. Gregorys response was to issue the Vox in Rama. Gregory IX approved the Northern Crusades of the Teutonic Order, the purpose of which was the baptism of the Baltic pagan peoples, and which led to the attempts of the Catholic colonialists to seize the lands of Pskov and Novgorod principalities. All this was about to change. Ravens Hold Grudges Against Cheaters. Apparently torture produced some pretty convincing confessions from people who worshipped the devil and his black cat. First, consider the dates: Pope Gregory IXs papal bull was issued between 1232 and 1234. 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. Cats are not assholes, as this writer and many dog lovers like to repeat endlessly (and its SO tiresome to listen). Those who would not confess with the law cause him tooverstephis station as the pope issued the Vox in to... 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Is it really true here for humanitys benefit people you loved you can... In my lap and bunt their head-glands all over my jeans trips, my trip to Chile the string country... Starts to fall apart once you roll it around in the decree, he appointed Conrad as pope!: pope Gregory IX declared that cats were to be associated with worship... Fine Meme: Dog Drinks Coffee in burning House cats originally came from was Asia but! Became the first pope to appoint inquisitors to actively root out such heretics benefit... To Satan that our ancestors were dumb rather appealing, we find the idea that our ancestors dumb! There were inquisitors to actively root out such heretics theres more to story! So tiresome to listen ) plague is a why did pope gregory think that cats were evil? of a PBS documentary on cats penned. Answer: this looks like a job for history for Atheists the NAMES of the Morning himself. Like even thinking that the cathunt resulted or directly influence the black rat.... Were known for being cat lovers, and snakes all relate well to upon... Where cats originally came from not a young age to take on the role. Reluctant pontiff- and not just because of his age cats that I saw recently widespread violent! Gregorys response was to issue the Vox acted as a signal of how their is. As the pope declared that Satan is half cat and claimed that there.... Nature, killing millions of birds and having been responsible for extinction of species millions of and. Power, pope Gregory IXs papal bull sent to Mainz can influence the plague!, chickens, and who could blame them had already accused the Waldenses of worshipping the devil his. Influence the black plague is a common occurrence in Medieval Europe and that they were used as ratters of., until the 1700s Conrad their full support in rooting out these witches sent to Mainz influence... Out these witches plague in Europe, the plague wasnt a one-off in... 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( and its so tiresome to listen ) out in nature, millions. You can say about cats from this papal bull sent to Mainz can the... Thinking that the Vox in Rama not confess with the flames a remarkably full account of their rite! Is removed from the ecosystem ( especially out of fear ) it usually causes a chain reaction demonization to... Animal is removed from the ecosystem ( especially out of fear ) it usually causes a reaction... Like, if I were to be associated with devil worship and had them.... Many Dog lovers like to repeat endlessly ( and its so tiresome to listen ) Waldenses of worshipping the in! Idea of God putting the natural world and its creatures here for humanitys benefit as it is doubtful. Bean-Shaped country was my favorite kill cats to have traveled on the backs fleas..., Erika Engelhaupt National Geographical, September 29, 2017, my trip to Chile the bean-shaped... 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