Vox in Rama

Vox in Rama (Latin:, A voice in Rama ') is a letter of Pope Gregory IX. a new group of heretics in Germany, which has survived in its registry in four copies. On June 11, 1233 letters were to the Emperor Frederick II and his son, King Henry, expedited, on June 13, 1233 was followed by the release of Archbishop Siegfried III. of Mainz, Bishop Conrad II of Hildesheim and Conrad of Marburg, the day after that. to the bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Mainz

Content

It was intended as an information sheet about a letter supposedly in Germany newly emerged heresy of Luziferianern (see: devil worship ). His information was referring to the Pope in the first place by the inquisitor Conrad of Marburg.

Excerpt: How do we withdrawals which we presented letter - it was full of deep sadness and not without immense pain - is among the various forms of false teachings that poison Germany by the magnitude of their sins, another - both hideous than the other, as even more widespread than the other - both those who report it, as well as those who experience them, filled with horror, has broken out in the ranks of the noble and very wealthy members of the Church ... ( translation by Hergemöller, pp. 32-39 )

As a further consequence will be highlighted in Vox in Rama in dazzling details the reprehensible rites of this sect: When re in the sect newcomers had to kiss a toad either on the buttocks or on the mouth, a pale man would then appear and the candidate also kiss, whereupon the freezing cold verspüre and immediately disappear all memory of the Catholic faith. A black cat would then backward rise of a column. Again, this is kissed by all present on the rear part ( osculum infamous ). Then the lights would be deleted and the audience would give himself up to common lewdness. Although these heretics would visit the church, but bring the received host immediately in the mouth home in order to spit in the privy.

Text

• Vox in Rama. Text of the four copies in: Epistolae saeculi XIII e selectae regestis Romanorum Pontificum. Part 1 Edited by Charles Rodenberg. Berlin 1883, pp. 432-435 ( Monumenta Historica Germaniae, digitized )