Origen began these allegorical interpretations and the Bogomils followed creatively in his footsteps. This is apparent in the way they brought the New Testament to life, especially with their topographical symbolism of the Bible. For them, Bethlehem (literally meaning “house of bread”) is their own Bogomil church as well as that of the Cathars, which gives the people access to the truly living bread. Herod represents the ruling church
and (when expanding) the world of evil, who tries to kill the newly born Word—the Logos. Nazareth, the place where Jesus comes from, also means the Orthodox Church, according to the Bogomils. Jesus leaves Nazareth to settle in Capernaum (literal meaning: the City of the Comforter), a town near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Just like
Bethlehem, Capernaum symbolizes the Bogomil church, but other than the former, in a later stage. The Bogomil path of initiation based on topographical symbolism is the following:
Jesus – meaning: the Bogomil neophyte – leaves the Orthodox Church (Nazareth) and is reborn in Bethlehem, the Bogomil church. From there he goes over the often impetuous Sea of Galilee (the turbulence of life) to
Capernaum, where he can receive the teleiosis or consolamentum (literal meaning: the sacrament of the Comforter).
and (when expanding) the world of evil, who tries to kill the newly born Word—the Logos. Nazareth, the place where Jesus comes from, also means the Orthodox Church, according to the Bogomils. Jesus leaves Nazareth to settle in Capernaum (literal meaning: the City of the Comforter), a town near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Just like
Bethlehem, Capernaum symbolizes the Bogomil church, but other than the former, in a later stage. The Bogomil path of initiation based on topographical symbolism is the following:
Jesus – meaning: the Bogomil neophyte – leaves the Orthodox Church (Nazareth) and is reborn in Bethlehem, the Bogomil church. From there he goes over the often impetuous Sea of Galilee (the turbulence of life) to
Capernaum, where he can receive the teleiosis or consolamentum (literal meaning: the sacrament of the Comforter).
https://www.academia.edu/27677550/The_c ... cathars_II_