- Verfeil, Haute-Garonne
Verfeil is a commune in the
Haute-Garonne department in southwesternFrance .It was an important centre of
Catharism from about 1140 to the mid 13th century.Bernard of Clairvaux preached against heresy at Verfeil in 1145. Sent away without a proper hearing by the seigneurs, he is said to have cursed the town with the words "Viridefolium, desiccet te Deus!" ("Verfeil, may God dry you up!")Izarn Neblat , one of those seigneurs, was said byGuillaume de Puylaurens to have lived in his old age in poverty atToulouse as a result of this curse; the town's recovery was dated by the faithful to the period of theAlbigensian Crusade , whenSimon IV de Montfort gave it to bishop Foulques de Toulouse. [Harvard reference | Surname=Duvernoy | Given=Jean, editor | Authorlink=Jean Duvernoy | Title=Guillaume de Puylaurens , Chronique 1145-1275: Chronica magistri Guillelmi de Podio Laurentii | Publisher=CNRS | Place=Paris | Year=1976 | ISBN=2910352064 pp. 32-35.]An important Catholic-Cathar debate was held at Verfeil in 1206. The Catholic side was led by
Diego de Acebo ,bishop of Osma , supported by the futureSaint Dominic ; among the Cathars were Pons Jourda andArnaud Arrufat . [ib., pp. 52-55.]Notes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.