Life in the Medieval Church - livingston.org

Life in the Medieval Church

Monasteries: religious communities

● gave up private possessions and devoted lives to church● Monks: men● Nuns: women● Italian monk Benedict wrote book

on strict rules for monastic living● opened schools● maintained libraries● copied books by hand ● illustrated manuscripts: drawings,

gold paint, ornate letters

Popes: head of Christian church in Rome

Pope Gelasius (500): “There are two powers by which this world is chiefly ruled: the sacred authority of the priesthood and the authority of kings.”

Gregory I (590): secular (worldly) power, in politics: raised armies, repaired pods, helped poor, negotiated treaties

Church took on the responsibility for Europe

Pope Leo III (800): crowned Charlemagne “Holy Roman Emperor”

Structure of the Church

Pope: head of church; authority over clergy

clergy: all religious officials

Bishops: settled disputes over Church teachings and practices, supervised priests

Priests: local clergy, most contact with people

Church vocabulary

sacraments: important religious ceremonies ( baptism, marriage, death)

salvation: going to heavencanon law: law of church to do with marriage and religious practices

lay investiture: kings and nobles appointed church officials

simony: Bishops sold positions in the church

Church ● local church on a manor

● led by a local priest

● community met here for sacraments

● Sunday: everyone went to thechurch

● all festivals held here