Page "Manichaeism" Paragraph 36

During the Middle Ages, several movements emerged which were collectively described as " Manichaean " by the Catholic Church, and persecuted as Christian heresies through the establishment, in 1184, of the Inquisition.

They included the Cathar and Albigensian churches of Western Europe.

Other groups sometimes referred to as " neo-Manichaean " were the Paulician movement, which arose in Armenia, and the Bogomils in Bulgaria.

An example of this usage can be found in the published edition of the Latin Cathar text, the Liber de duobus principiis ( Book of the Two Principles ), which was described as " Neo-Manichaean " by its publishers.

As there is no presence of Manichaean mythology or church terminology in the writings of these groups, there has been some dispute among historians as to whether these groups were descendants of Manichaeism.

In Hungarian Christianity, traces of Manichaeism can be found both in Catholicism and in Protestant Christianity, Manichaeian symbols are present in folk art, in Protestant churches and even on the Holy Crown.