RELIGION IN MIDDLE AGES

1ST YR

INTRO

• All of medieval Europe was Catholic

• Church very powerful• Ruled by Pope in Rome• Church very wealthy• …Because of tithe

Religion

• Each country divided into dioceses• Each diocese was ruled by a bishop• Each diocese was made up of small

parishes• Each parish was ruled by a priest• A parish was usually a manor

Romanesque style • Big stone churches

built• Style called

Romanesque• Round arches over

door• Big, thick columns

inside to hold up roof

• Dark inside• Small windows

Gothic • Replaced

Romanesque Style• More popular• Has tall spirals and

bell towers• Has pointed arches

over door• Flying buttress

supported the roof• Large windows

inside• Also a rose window

full of stained glass

Monasteries

• Had been in Ireland since early Christianity

• 1st Irish monastery 490 AD on Inis Mor• People wanted to dedicate their lives to

god• Monks followed St. Benedict’s rules• Monasteries acted as inns, hospitals,

even schools!

Services provided by monasteries

• Gave alms and helped the poor• Offered shelter fro travelers• Offered sanctuary fro those on the run• Educated boys and girls of wealthy

families• …because they were only people able

to read and write• Centres of prayer and religion

Becoming a monk

• Boy joined as novice• Learned rules and decided if it

suited him• Then took solemn vows

Religious vows

• Promise of poverty• Promise of chastity• Promise of obedience to the abbot

Monks clothes

• Wore simple clothes

• Long hooded robes called Habits

• Tied with cord at middle

• Sandals on feet• Tonsure haircut

Rooms in monastery • Church• Dormitory• Cloisters – where

monks walked and prayed

• Chapter house – where meetings happened and rules discussed

• Infirmary• Library• Refectory• Guest house

Jobs of diff monks

• Abbot• Prior – 2nd in charge• Almoner – looked after travelers

and poor• Infirmarian• Librarian

Daily life in monastery (1)

• Matins 3am• Prayer 6am• Breakfast in silence – 7am• Work in fields of library – 8am• Mass – 10am

Daily life (2)

• More work – 11• Dinner – 2• Work or study – 3• Vespers (evening prayers) – 5• Supper• Complime – night prayer 8• Bed

Vocab Recap • Tithe• Romanesque style churches• Gothic churches• Tonsure• Vow of chastity• Vespers • Matins • Refectory• Infirmary

Vocab Revision (2)

• Compline • Almoner• Abbot• Flying

buttresses• Novice

Recap Qs

• Write down three features of a Gothic building

• Write down the three vows a monk made

• Write down 4 services a monastery provided

• Write down four jobs monks did

Romanesque Church recap