Did the church massacre group known as the Illuminati? Not as far as I know.The only historical group of that name of which I'm aware was formed in the C18th CE in Bavaria.
BUT the church brutally suppressed any and all opposition for centuries,beginning with gnostics.
Perhaps the most notorious massacre which fits was that of the Cathars (aka Albigensians) in 1209 CE. Their most visible adherents were the "Poor-Fellows Soldiers Of Christ and the temple of Solomon" aka "The Knights Templar" .Their history,beliefs and fate makes fascinating reading. The Inquisition was in part begun to root out and destroy the Cathars.The last known Cathar was burned in 1302.
The Inquistion continued rooting out and burning heretics for centuries.The church
systematically murdered tens of thousands of people for the heinous crime of heresy.It wold still do so today if it could,imo. (judging by the incumbent senile geriatric in the Vatican)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathars
BUT the church brutally suppressed any and all opposition for centuries,beginning with gnostics.
Perhaps the most notorious massacre which fits was that of the Cathars (aka Albigensians) in 1209 CE. Their most visible adherents were the "Poor-Fellows Soldiers Of Christ and the temple of Solomon" aka "The Knights Templar" .Their history,beliefs and fate makes fascinating reading. The Inquisition was in part begun to root out and destroy the Cathars.The last known Cathar was burned in 1302.
The Inquistion continued rooting out and burning heretics for centuries.The church
systematically murdered tens of thousands of people for the heinous crime of heresy.It wold still do so today if it could,imo. (judging by the incumbent senile geriatric in the Vatican)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathars
