Download The Medieval Church Summary & Facts
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Today, only a small percentage of the population go to church every Sunday, but in the Middle Ages, everyone was religious. The Church was the centre of their lives. The biggest building in a town or village was the church. It was a Catholic church because in the Middle Ages the Catholic religion was the only one. All men and women believed in Heaven and Hell. Rich people would even leave their land and money to the Church, hoping it would get them into Heaven.
How was the Church Organised?
The Catholic Church wanted everyone in Christendom to be taught the same things about God and religion. The Church was able to do this because of the way it was organised.
At the head of the Church was the Pope, in Rome. Under him were all the Bishops and Arch- bishops in Christendom, including England.
Under the bishops and Archbishops, came the parish priests. They had everyday contact with the ordinary people. This organisation made the Church very powerful. As well as being able to influence peoples’ minds, the Church owned land and money in Christendom.
Many important positions in government were held by Bishops and Archbishops. This sometimes led to great problems. Some churchmen had to choose between loyalty to their King and loyalty to the Pope in Rome.
Why were parish priests so important?
Village and parish priests were simple men, but they had very important jobs. After the Lord of the Manor, the priest was the most important man in the village. On Sundays, during mass, he would tell people all about Heaven and Hell. Because services were in Latin, many ordinary folk could not understand them. Statues and ‘Doom Paintings’ were used to explain to people the horrors of Hell and the joys of Heaven. Look at the doom painting below. What things can you see going on?
Year 7 Worksheet:
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