Chapter 44

Bertran began his explanation.

“Throughout the Languedoc area, and in fact throughout the French Midi, a Gnostic doctrine from the East spread from the 10th century onwards, in which the so-called Bogomils, after being expelled by Byzantium, had established communities on Bulgarian territory.

“These people had a totally different version of Christianity from that of the Holy See, since they believed that the Universe was in permanent internal conflict between two worlds formed, one by God and the other by Satan. With this dualistic doctrine they tried to explain the existence of good and evil in the world and the struggle between them. The rest of their theology was of clear Gnostic origin and in particular they believed in reincarnation.