The Medieval ChurchThe Medieval Church

Role of the ChurchRole of the Church

The Church played a far greater role in Medieval times than today

It touched everybody’s life: rich, poor, noble, peasant

Almost everyone in Medieval Europe was a Christian, and being Christian meant being Catholic

The Church governed everyday life, and, people believed, the afterlife

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FaithFaith

People in the Middle Ages dealt with war, disease, and famine every day, so they turned to the Church for comfort and hope

Christians believed that obeying God’s laws would ensure going to heaven; living in an ungodly way destined you to hell

People could not read the Bible so they relied on Church officials to guide them

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Faith (2)Faith (2)

Parishioners would hear every week in their services about the horrors of hell

Church officials were not always guided by the good of the people

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The Power of the ChurchThe Power of the Church

The Pope was God’s representative on Earth

The Pope was involved both in secular and spiritual matters

Since the Church was so powerful and wealthy it could influence kings and nobles to do as it wished

Bishops and archbishops often sat on kings’ councils and influenced the business of the kingdom

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Power of the Church (2)Power of the Church (2)

Christians believed all men were sinners and destined to Hell unless saved by the sacraments

Since only the Church could administer the sacraments, it controlled who went to Heaven or to Hell

The Church could impose penalties such as excommunication or interdict on those who refused to obey its laws

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Wealth of the ChurchWealth of the Church

The Church was wealthier than any KingThe Church paid no taxesPeople paid heavy taxes to support the

ChurchChristians were expected to tithe and to

pay for any sacraments or other services they received

Failure to tithe meant damnation

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Wealth (2)Wealth (2)

Many rich people would leave their holdings to the Church upon their death, believing this act would give them entrance to Heaven

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Wealth (2)Wealth (2)

The poor had no money so they usually paid their tithes by seeds, grain, animals, etc.

The Church often received gifts for special favors or from those who wanted a special place in Heaven

The Church would sell most of these offerings and get even richer

Peasants were required to work for free on Church lands and buildings

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The Parish ChurchThe Parish Church

The parish church was the center of every town, village, or manor

It was often the largest building in the villageChristians would be baptized, received the

sacraments, and be married in the church, and then be buried in its churchyard

The parish priest served in the local church and was the only contact most people had with the Church

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Parish Church (2)Parish Church (2)

The parish priest was often a commoner by birth, and usually very poor and uneducated

Among the priest’s duties were to tend to the sick and poor and to teach the Gospel

Because church services were in Latin, which most people could not understand, “Doom Paintings” were used to teach religion

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Doom PaintingsDoom Paintings13

The PriestsThe Priests

The priest was not only a religious leader, but was a friend, a teacher, and a member of the community

The priest’s duties included: • Say mass in the village church (and say

it in Latin).• Perform weddings and baptisms.• Hear confessions.• • Bury the dead.

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Priests (2)Priests (2)

Visit villagers regularly and listen to their problems.

Heal the sick.• Teach children of wealthy families to

read and write.• Work the land, growing crops in the

church grounds.• Make sure everyone pays their tithe.• Keep village records.

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Monks and NunsMonks and Nuns

Because religion was so important, many people devoted their lives entirely to the Church

Monks and nuns lived separately from other people, monks in monasteries and nuns in convents

Monks took vows of poverty, chastity, and strict obedience to their leaders

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Monks and Nuns (2)Monks and Nuns (2)

Monks and nuns ate simple food, dressed in simple clothes, and spent their days in total silence

They were forbidden to leave the monastery, own property, or become part of society

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Monks and Nuns (3)Monks and Nuns (3)

Monasteries and convents served as hospitals for the sick, guesthouses for weary travelers, and distribution centers for the needy

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EducationEducation

Between prayers the monks read or copied religious texts and music

They were usually well educated and devoted their lives to writing and learning

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PilgrimagesPilgrimages

Pilgrimages were an important part of religious life in the Middle Ages

Many people took journeys to visit holy shrines such as the Canterbury Cathedral in England and sites in Rome and Jerusalem

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The Church would remain the most powerful and influential institution in Western Europe until the Reformation at the end of the Middle Ages

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ReviewReview

What two factors allowed the Church to have a powerful hold on all the people?

What is the difference between interdict and ex-communation?

What are the holy rituals of the Church called?

How did the Church accumulate its great wealth?

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