* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia
Catharism was a heretical religious movement, with respect to the Catholic Church, that originated in the 12th century and had special roots in the south of France.
The Cathars were dualists, since they believed that there was a good and evil principle in conflict. Among their ideology, their followers considered that material things were a demonic creation and that Jesus was a spiritual being created by God. Furthermore, their belief was that souls had been drawn from heaven and transmigrated after death to a new body.
This summer I was able to capture this photographic report for La Vanguardia’s Readers’ Photos of the Mercat Càtar de Castellbò (Alt Urgell, Lleida), where the entire town is decorated with motifs from the Middle Ages.
A medieval craft market is held, with live reproductions of traditional trades, such as blacksmithing. A folk music group Toll del Ferro starred in a parade through the beautiful corners of this town that every summer goes back to the times of the Cathars.
The actors and actresses from the Seu d’Urgell Theater School also performed a performance of Els joglars de Six in the middle of the street, with period costumes that brought the minstrels back to life.
Finally, in this festival there is a guided tour of the most historic Castellbò. All this in the middle of a charming place in the Lleida Pyrenees.
