The Middle Ages
The Power of the Church
The Church
The church was a place of worship, hope, guidance, and entertainment. During this period in time everybody was Christian and were required to go to church. Church took place on Sundays and lasted all day long. The church would assign certain people to go around town to everybody's home and make sure that they were present at church. If they were not they would be punished. The only way it was okay for people to skip church was if they were sick or were very ill. The church also ran hospitals and asylums that helped the elderly, mentally ill, and the sick. Without the church the town would not be able to thrive.
Interior and Exterior
Churches were decorated and built with beautiful forms of art. The cathedrals were built with wood and stone which was strong during the middle ages. It was usually the largest building in town and huge arches, spires, and supporting structures. These made the building appealing from the outside. From the inside, the building was decorated with paintings and statues. They also had large stained glass windows that sometimes told a story in themselves just like the painting on the walls and ceilings did. These characteristics to the church made it more welcoming and beautiful.
Notre Dame de Paris
From this view you can see the flying buttresses on the side.
Laon Cathedral
The town that surrounded this cathedral is no longer there.
Romanesque (Left) and Gothic (Right)
There were different types of designs for cathedrals.
Monks and Nuns
There were many people that supported the church. There were monks and nuns that lived in monasteries and did tasks around the church. Monks and nuns also created many new agricultural achievements with farming and the soil. Monks and nuns were religious figures and were important during the Middle Ages.
Jobs of the Priest
The priest had many jobs that priest nowadays have as well. The priest would baptize young children that had just been born. They also listened to confessions for people who wanted to be relieved of their sins. Another thing that priests did was marry young couples. This was big during the middle ages because a lot of people were married and it was a very religious ceremony. They also spoke at funerals and administered last rites, which was basically preparing that person for death. The priest played a very important role during this time period.
Superstistions
There were many superstitions that were going around at this time. There were rumors and stories consisting of demons, werewolves, witches, leprechauns, evil fairies, and banshees. Some of these superstitions caused the townspeople to question who their neighbor was and some townspeople even went crazy. This started leading to the Salem Witch Trials.
URL's for Pictures
2. http://cshscougarhistory4.blogspot.com/2010/11/monks-in-monastery-and-nuns-in-convent.html
3. http://gohistoric.com/places/laon-cathedral
4. http://vistaartprojects.blogspot.com/2013/03/notre-dame-cathedrals-gargoyles-paris.html
5. http://architecturerevived.blogspot.com/2011/01/gothic-innovation-of-st-denis-cathedral.html
6. http://simonpoetically.blogspot.com/2011/05/witch-in-moonlight.html