Catharism, a medieval offshoot of Gnostic Christianity, burned through the Catholic landscape of 13th-century Europe as swiftly as a plague. To the Catholic Church, it was very nearly as welcome. By ...

Five friends travel down the Canal du Midi, and back through history. Marching orders came via cyberspace a year ago. "The Crusade 2003 embarks June 15 from Carcassonne," read the e-mail from the man ...

To the Editor: The cover article, “The Besieged and the Beautiful”; (May 9), on the crusade against the Cathars, does not present the full story. A much more serious issue than religious fanaticism ...

Who were the Cathars, and what was daily life like for them? In this video, we explore the beliefs and lifestyle of this medieval Christian sect that challenged the power of the Catholic Church. The ...

Washington author Sophy Burnham’s novel is set in France during the Catholic Inquisition of the 1200s, a time of terror and genocide in which neighbors and friends ...