The Role of the Church in

Medieval Europe

Clergy

• Society in the Middle Ages consisted of “men of prayer, men of war, and men of work.” - Alfred the Great

• Clergy influenced all levels of society, especially kings, because they were educated

Clergy

• Church guided life of people… from baptism to marriage and to death

• Power to condemn or to forgive very powerful in people’s lives

Church Hierarchy

·    Pope – head of church, Latin for “Father”

·    Cardinals – advisors to the Pope, controlled the archbishops and choose new Pope from the cardinals

Current Pope:

Benedict XVI

El Grego, Portrait of a Cardinal

Church Hierarchy

•   Archbishops – controlled

archdiocese and bishops

• Bishops – controlled “diocese”

in larger cities or

provinces made of

many parishes

Church Hierarchy

•   Abbots – in charge of

monasteries and local parishes•   Priests - local church or parish; led

religious services(weddings,

baptisms, and funerals),

cared for sick

Church Hierarchy:

Monks

• Lived in monasteries• “Hard” or physical

labor to support their communities

• Occasionally preached• “Low man” on the

Church Hierarchy “totem pole” but crucial since they were in contact with people the most.

Monastery• Complex community of many different buildings– Granaries– Breweries – Bakeries– Wineries– Abbey church– Library /

scriptorium– Hospital– School Self contained like a town

Monastery• Inside libraries monks

copied manuscripts• Wrote in beautiful

handwriting• Drew elaborate

illustrations…………

• Illuminated letters

“Spreading the Word”

St. Francis of Assisi

• Religious communities formed• Monks could travel, spread

Christianity, and do “good deeds” for the poor

• Saint Francis of Assisi began his own group of monks ….helping the poor and sick

Church Hierarchy: Women

• Women were excluded from church employment except as nuns or directors of Abbeys

• Nuns were “Brides of Christ”; swore never to marry, devoted to charitable work

Church Hierarchy: Women

• Worked with the poor, provided shelter, medicine and helped their religious community

• Abbesses: nuns in charge of convents--- communities for the nuns

Illuminated letters were an art form and common practice for nuns and monks copying texts for sale to help the convent or monastery.

Saint Clare of Assisi

Power of the Church

·      Church encouraged Christians to save their souls by donating money to the churches

•Nobles were encouraged to leave their lands to the church (upon death) in return for saving their souls increasing the church’s holdings and wealth

Power of the Church

·  Clergy were most often the only members of society able to read and write

• Most kings were illiterate-clergy were advisors to the king =

very powerful

Kings and conflict with the church

· 800 CE Kings and nobles tried to take power from church.

· Kings appointed their own people (relatives and friends) to church positions, such as bishops and cardinals

Kings and conflict continued…

· The new pope Gregory VII wanted to give back power to church.

· Announced that Pope was higher than king and that only the Pope could appoint members to church

Kings Conflict Continued…

· King Henry IV refused Pope’s edict (formal announcement)

· Pope excommunicated King Henry IV

Education Spreads in Europe

· Monasteries became too small to teach those who wanted to be educated

• Began meeting outside or in taverns ….eventually began to construct buildings, which grew into universities and colleges

Art of the Medieval Church

· Most art (paintings and sculptures) were religious and featured Christ or people from the Bible or lessons

· Flat, stylized art… not three dimensional

Art of the Church

· Filled with art, stained glass,, sculpture, and paintings

· Tribute to God ….built to strike “awe” in those who viewed the art in these cathedrals