Decree of Pope Lucius the Third Against the Waldenses, and So On

In the year 1184, or, as others write, 1185, Pope Lucius made a decree in the city of Verona, in the presence of the Emperor Frederick, which reads as follows

"In order to root out the wickedness of the various heresies that have begun to show themselves in many countries throughout the whole world, the power of ecclesiastical discipline must be called upon.

"Therefore, relying on the presence and power of our most beloved son, the Roman Emperor Frederick, we, with the common advice of our brothers, as well as of other patriarchs, archbishops, and many princes who have assembled here from different parts of the realm, have, by this general resolution of our present decree, set ourselves against the heretics, who have received various names from their various errors, and by apostolic authority, through this our constitution, have condemned all heresies by whatever name they may be called. First, the Catharists, and the Patarini, and those who falsely and fictitiously call themselves Humiliati (humiliated ones) or Poor Men of Lyons; as well as the Passaginians, Josephists, Arnoldists; all these we lay under an everlasting curse.

"And since some, having a form of godliness but denying the power of it, as the apostle says, have taken to themselves the authority to preach, though the same apostle says, How shall they preach unless they are sent? all those to whom this is forbidden, or who, not being sent, presumptuously dare to preach, secretly or publicly, without authority from the apostolic see, or consent from the bishop of the place; and all who believe otherwise, or do not fear to teach otherwise, than the Roman church preaches and maintains, in regard to the sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, or to baptism (namely, infant baptism), or to the confession of sins, that is, auricular confession, or to marriage, and the other sacraments of the church; and, in general, all those who will not condemn as heretics those whom the Roman church, or any bishop in his bishopric, with the advice of his clergy, or, in case their own bishop has died, the clergy themselves, with the advice of the neighboring bishops, have declared to be such, all these, I say, we bind with the bond of an everlasting ban. Likewise those who take them into their houses, and defend them, and all who uphold these heretics, fostering the heretical wickedness in them, whether they are called Consolati, Credentes, Perfecti, or by whatever other similar name, we include them all in this sentence of condemnation."

Thus far, the decree of Pope Lucius. We will now give some explanation of a few strange names that occur in it. As regards the common names of the Waldenses, which are mentioned in the decree of Lucius, namely, that they were called Catharists, Patarini, Humiliati, Poor Men of Lyons, Passaginians, Josephists, Arnoldists, and so on, these we have already explained sufficiently. There remain, then, to be explained only their special distinctive names, such as Consolati, Credentes, and Perfecti. Consolati, that is, comforted; by this name were called those who had recently come into the church, and were not yet firmly established in the faith.

Credentes, that is, believing; by this name were called those who were confirmed in the faith, and had grown in it to a considerable extent.

Perfecti, that is, perfect; by this name were called those who applied themselves to faith and godliness to the full extent of their ability, so that they seemed to be perfect in it. These were also called Boni Homines, that is, good men.

Most of this can be gathered from Alanus, who wrote at the close of the twelfth century, namely, in the year 1194. In the Paris edition, in the year 1612, page 110. Also, Abr. Mell., second book, page 443, column 3. [n416-1] Thus, the diversity of names does not indicate a diversity of people or of faith, but simply the lesser or greater perfection in the faith among those who together were but one people.