Déodat Roché facts for kids
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Déodat Roché (born December 13, 1877 – died January 12, 1978) was a French judge, thinker, and historian. He was very interested in spiritual ideas and the history of the Cathars, a religious group from the Middle Ages.
Contents
Life Story
Early Years and Interests
Déodat Roché was born in a town called Arques, France. From a young age, he was curious about spiritual and hidden knowledge, often called esoteric studies. He and his father read books by many authors who wrote about these topics.
When he was 14, he learned about the Albigensian Crusade. This was a war against the Cathars in his home region. This made him very interested in the Cathars' history and their beliefs.
In 1896, he joined a group that studied spiritual topics. He also started writing to other thinkers. In 1898, he became part of the Martinist Order, a spiritual group. The next year, he joined the Gnostic Church of France. He became a bishop in this church in 1903. However, he soon felt their teachings were too strict and left.
Becoming a Judge and Continuing Studies
Déodat Roché became a lawyer in 1901 after studying law. In his free time, he also studied philosophy. He wrote a paper in 1903 about ancient Greek philosophy. While studying in Toulouse, he helped start a magazine called Le Réveil des Albigeois. This magazine focused on spiritual ideas.
In 1906, he became a judge, first in Limoux and then in Carcassonne. He continued to write for philosophical magazines. He also joined a Masonic group called "Les Vrais amis réunis." He stayed a member of this group for his whole life.
Later Life and Cathar Research
In 1921, Roché discovered the ideas of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher. He met Steiner in 1922 and became a member of the Anthroposophical Society. This society studies human wisdom and spiritual development.
He continued his work as a judge and became a vice-president and then president of a court. In 1925, he was elected mayor of Arques. However, he was later removed from this role. During World War II, the government at the time removed him from his judge position because of his past associations. He retired in 1943. After the war, he briefly worked in politics again but left in 1946. He wanted to spend all his time researching the Cathars.
In 1948, he helped start the "Congrès d'études cathares," a group for studying Catharism. He also started a magazine called Cahiers d'études cathares. In 1950, he founded the "Société du souvenir et des études cathares." This society aimed to remember and study the Cathars.
Roché worked with many other writers and researchers. From 1956 onwards, he and his colleagues organized summer camps. These camps were places for people to meet, share ideas, and learn about spiritual topics. They included talks, music, and meditation.
On May 21, 1961, Roché and the society placed a special stone monument at Montségur. This monument honored the Cathars as "martyrs for pure Christian love." Déodat Roché passed away in Arques in 1978. His house in the town is now a place where people can learn about Catharism.
Selected Books
Déodat Roché wrote many books and articles about Catharism and spiritual topics. Here are a few of his works:
- Contes et légendes du catharisme (Tales and Legends of Catharism), first published in 1949.
- Études manichéennes et cathares (Manichaean and Cathar Studies), published in 1952.
- Le Catharisme (Catharism), a major work published in several parts, starting in 1937.
- L'Église romaine et les Cathares albigeois (The Roman Church and the Albigensian Cathars), published in 1957.
