Introduction: Who Were the Bogomils?

History is filled with religious movements that shook the foundations of their time. The Bogomils were one of the most radical and misunderstood of these. Emerging in the 10th century in the First Bulgarian Empire, they rejected the established church, state power, and materialism. Their beliefs spread like wildfire, influencing later movements like the Cathars and leaving a shadow on European history.

The name Bogomil likely means “dear to God” or “God-praiser” in Old Church Slavonic. Their teachings were a fusion of Christianity, dualism, and radical social ideals. They saw the world as a battlefield between good and evil, with material existence being the work of a corrupt demiurge. Because of this, they rejected the mainstream church, seeing it as a tool of oppression rather than a vessel of salvation.

Origins and Beliefs: The Dualist Core

Bogomilism emerged in 10th-century Bulgaria, during a time of political and religious upheaval. The movement was founded by a shadowy figure known as Priest Bogomil, but little is known about him. His teachings were heavily influenced by Paulicianism, an earlier Christian sect from Armenia that also rejected church hierarchy. The Bogomils absorbed Gnostic dualism, believing that the material world was the creation of an evil force.

To the Bogomils, Satan created the physical world, while the true God ruled over the spiritual realm. Christ, in their view, was a purely spiritual being who came to teach humanity how to escape this corrupted existence. They rejected the Old Testament, especially the laws of Moses, which they saw as coming from the evil creator. This made them heretics in the eyes of both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

The War Against Power and the Church

The Bogomils weren’t just heretics; they were rebels against the entire feudal system. They rejected the authority of both kings and clergy, believing that all earthly rulers were agents of the evil demiurge. They refused to pay taxes, serve in the military, or obey feudal lords. This made them a direct threat to the state.

The Orthodox Church, backed by the Bulgarian rulers, saw them as dangerous revolutionaries. Emperor Boris II and later rulers persecuted them, but they continued spreading their message. Despite crackdowns, their ideas traveled across the Balkans, Byzantium, and Western Europe. They influenced movements like the Cathars in France, who shared their dualist worldview.

The Cathar Connection: A Shared Dualist Vision

The Cathars, a heretical Christian movement in medieval France, bore striking similarities to the Bogomils. Both rejected the Catholic Church, denounced the material world as evil, and preached a return to pure spirituality. Catharism’s core doctrine of two opposing forces—one good, one evil—mirrored Bogomil beliefs. Some historians even believe that Bogomil missionaries helped spread these ideas into Western Europe.

Like the Bogomils, the Cathars rejected church sacraments, the cross, and religious icons, believing them to be tools of the corrupt world. Their strict asceticism and refusal to participate in mainstream society made them enemies of the church and state. The Albigensian Crusade (1209–1229), launched by the Catholic Church, aimed to wipe out the Cathars, much like earlier campaigns against the Bogomils. This violent suppression largely succeeded, but echoes of their beliefs persisted for centuries.

Bogomil Practices: A Radical Christian Lifestyle

Bogomil life was based on strict discipline, simplicity, and spiritual purity. They rejected church rituals, considering them unnecessary for salvation. Unlike mainstream Christians, they did not baptize infants, arguing that only adults could make a conscious decision to follow Christ. Their only true sacrament was the Lord’s Prayer, which they recited frequently.

They lived in small egalitarian communities, where wealth and possessions were shared. They refused to eat meat, believing that killing animals was a sin against the divine spirit. Some Bogomils practiced celibacy, but others married and had families while still following the faith. Their refusal to build churches or recognize religious icons made them stand out against both Orthodox and Catholic Christians.

Spread and Persecution Across Europe

Despite brutal persecution, Bogomilism spread throughout Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, and Byzantium. By the 12th and 13th centuries, it had taken root in Bosnia, where it gained the protection of local rulers. Some Bosnian nobles embraced Bogomil ideas, leading to tensions with the Catholic Church. The Papal Inquisition eventually targeted Bosnia, attempting to crush the movement.

In Byzantium, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos personally led campaigns against the Bogomils. He even tricked the movement’s leader, Basil the Physician, into debating him publicly before sentencing him to be burned alive. Despite this, Bogomil ideas continued to influence Christian mysticism and esoteric traditions for centuries. Their underground nature allowed them to survive in small pockets long after their official destruction.

Theological Challenges and Church Responses

The Orthodox and Catholic Churches saw Bogomilism as a direct threat to their authority. Its rejection of hierarchy, sacraments, and material wealth challenged the very foundations of institutional Christianity. Church scholars wrote extensive refutations of Bogomil theology, labeling it as Satanic. One of the most famous critics was Euthymius Zigabenus, a Byzantine theologian who wrote about Bogomil heresies in the 12th century.

The Bogomils, however, saw themselves as true Christians, untainted by corruption. They pointed to Jesus’ teachings on humility, simplicity, and nonviolence to justify their rejection of state power. While they were branded as heretics, their views on wealth inequality, spiritual freedom, and opposition to religious corruption echoed through later movements. Even after their suppression, their influence persisted in esoteric Christianity and underground sects.

Final Decline and Legacy

By the 15th century, Bogomilism had nearly disappeared due to relentless persecution. The Ottoman Empire’s conquest of the Balkans sealed its fate, as many Bogomils converted to Islam to escape oppression. However, traces of their teachings survived in mystical traditions, folklore, and even Protestant movements that later challenged the Catholic Church. Some historians argue that Bogomil ideas laid the groundwork for later anti-establishment Christian sects.

Their emphasis on spiritual purity, rejection of religious hierarchy, and belief in dualism still sparks debate among scholars today. Were they simply heretics, or were they visionaries ahead of their time? In an age where people are once again questioning institutional power, their radical vision of spiritual freedom seems oddly relevant. The Bogomils may be forgotten by history, but their rebellious spirit endures.

Conclusion: Why the Bogomils Still Matter

The Bogomils weren’t just heretics—they were revolutionaries. They stood against religious and political corruption, advocating for a faith that was simple, direct, and deeply personal. Their refusal to conform led to persecution, but their ideas survived in unexpected ways. Their influence on Cathars, Protestantism, and esoteric Christian thought shows that their message was more than just a medieval curiosity.

In today’s world, where religious institutions face renewed scrutiny, the Bogomil legacy serves as a reminder of what happens when people challenge power. They asked the radical question: What if the true path to God lies outside the church’s walls? That question, centuries later, still lingers.

Stay Curious.