The Cathars in Monforte d’Alba

A group of Christians inhabited the fortress of Monforte at the beginning of the 11th century. Girardo, the charismatic leader, explaining the Gospels, found arguments against the corruption, the bad habits of the clergy of that time and the religious hierarchies. Their customs and their beliefs smacked of heresy, such as absolute chastity in marriage, the figure of the “Pontiff who absolves, but not the one from Rome”, ending one’s life in torment to avoid eternal torments.

Ariberto d’Intimiano, Bishop of Milan, informed that an unheard-of heresy was being practiced in Mons Fortis, sent for Girardo who confirmed the doctrine of the Cathars (from the Greek Katharòs, pure). Having conquered the castle, he patiently tried to bring them back on the right path, but the powerful of the city, fearful that these strange ideas would take root in the Lombard capital, erected against Ariberto’s will a large cross on one side and lit a fire on the other, imposing on Girardo and his followers the choice between embracing the cross, or death by fire.

The story goes that they chose fire.