1. The Medieval Church

2. 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
Role of the Church

4. 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
Faith

5. 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
Faith (2)

6. The 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
The Power of the Church

7. 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
Power of the Church (2)

8. Wealth of the Church The Church was wealthier than any King
The Church paid no taxes
People paid heavy taxes to support the Church
Christians were expected to tithe and to pay for any sacraments or other services they received
Failure to tithe meant damnation
Wealth of the Church

9. Many rich people would leave their holdings to the Church upon their death, believing this act would give them entrance to Heaven
Wealth (2)

10. 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
Wealth (2)

11. The parish church was the center of every town, village, or manor
It was often the largest building in the village
Christians 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
The Parish Church

12. 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
Parish Church (2)

13. Doom Paintings

14. 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.
The Priests

15. 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.
Priests (2)

16. 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
Monks and Nuns

17. 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
Monks and Nuns (2)

18. Monasteries and convents served as hospitals for the sick, guesthouses for weary travelers, and distribution centers for the needy
Monks and Nuns (3)

19. Between prayers the monks read or copied religious texts and music
They were usually well educated and devoted their lives to writing and learning
Education

20. 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
Pilgrimages

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

22. 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?
Review