It is now Istanbul, Turkey, and its predominant religion is Islam, but the government is secular. It is understandable that prior to the 16th century even the intelligentsia would believe in a super natural cause for diseases and catastrophes. Through ignorance and superstition at the time and reliance on the bible as the word of God, the Church opposed all scientific endeavors including medicine. The Church of England steadfastly opposed all scientific investigation well into the 19th century. The Church maintained that catastrophes such as earthquakes, violent storms, volcanic eruptions, droughts, famines and plagues were caused by God to punish man for his sins or for the sins of his ancestors.
Catastrophes are certainly evil things as far as humankind is concerned.
Sometimes these same catastrophes were considered to be caused by the devil either directly or through men, women and children who were labeled witches. Over a period of 1,600 years, thousands of people, including Jews, were slaughtered because of this insanity. In the south of Germany these trials and executions were being directed by Pope Innocent VIII, while in the north the Protestants were conducting the same manner of slaughter. But who knows what the future has in store for us. The Dark Ages were not a good time for cats, either.