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Pope Gregory IX and the Black Death (1346-1347)

The claim that Pope Gregory IX's 1233 decretal 'Vox in Rama' caused the Black Death by ordering the mass extermination of cats, allowing rats to spread the disease.

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Jan 19, 2026
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did pope gregory the IX contribute to the bubonic plague?

The short answer: there is no reliable evidence that Pope Gregory IX intentionally caused—or can be held meaningfully responsible for—the bubonic plague; the story that his 1233 decretal "Vox in Rama"...