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Madame Eglantine’s ~proper religious etiquette~ |
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The ultimate source for insight into religious life = of the Middle Ages.
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Thy Old English Tutorial |
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Madame Eglantine’s ~proper religious etiquette~ |
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The ultimate source for insight into religious life = of the Middle Ages.
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Welcome! |
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Thy Old English Tutorial |
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Medieval Christianity |
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In the Middle Ages, Christianity was the single unifying factor= across Europe. It developed since the time of the Roman Empire into the cu= ltural, political, and economic center of power and authority. The power an= d prevalence of the Church grew with its increasing wealth, which justified= its great influence on political authority. Secular and religious authorit= y were merged under the Roman Catholic Church, and it soon dominated everyd= ay life.
The Roots of Christianity Christianity was formed from the beliefs and teachings of Jesus= Christ during the reign of Roman Emperor Tiberius from 42 BCE to 37 CE. It= main premises were the belief in one god and the existence of an afterlife= in Heaven. Because Christianity rejected the polytheistic state religion o= f the Roman Empire, early Christians were persecuted until Roman Emperor Co= nstantine I legalized Christianity and proclaimed himself the “Empero= r of the Christian People.” This set the stage for the merging of pol= itical and religious authority that came about after decline of the Roman E= mpire in the fifth century CE.
Christianity and the ‘Dark Ages’ The collapse of the Roman Empire in 476 CE became known as the = beginning the ‘Dark Ages,’ which lasted until around 1000 CE. T= his term was coined to mimic the loss of stability and advanced learning af= ter the Germanic tribes ransacked Rome and subjugated its power and authori= ty. The only unifying institution that remained was Christianity, which bec= ame referred to as the Roman Catholic Church in the second century CE. At t= he time, there were no divisions in the Church other than the separation of= the East (Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch) and the West (Rome). The rap= id spread of Christianity across the western world led to the start of the = Middle Ages from 1000-1400 CE. During the Middle Ages, Christianity was bel= ieved to be the one true religion, which laid the foundation for the Church= ’s supreme power.
The Power of the Catholic Church The power of the Catholic Church derived from its ability to me= diate between the present life and the afterlife. It was able to maintain t= his power through political and economic support, harnessed by the Pope, wh= o had a divine right of authority as God’s representative on Earth. T= he tradition of the pope can be traced back to the papacy of Gregory I the = Great from 590-604 CE. He established the fundamental hierarchy of Church o= fficials, from bishops to archbishops to the Pope, when he sent missionarie= s across the land to convert non-believers and extend his authority. The po= pe was able to institute tithes, or land taxes, on the people and accept sp= ecial ‘donations’ from those who wanted to secure a place in He= aven. In this way, the Catholic Church became corrupt in its values.
The Crusades There was a significant dependency on the Church to maintain it= s power and authority. This can be exemplified in the Crusades, which were = a series of religious wars against the Muslims of the near East during the = Middle Ages, lasting from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries. There w= ere nine widespread crusades in total that have been documented. Their prim= ary objective was to regain claim to the Holy Land of the Palestine, where = Christianity was first established. But eventually, the wars became a valua= ble tool to assert dominance of Christianity as the supreme religion. = Although the ownership of the Holy Land was snatched back and forth, the C= rusades show the Church’s power to unify and govern during the Middle= Ages. For more information on the Crusades, click here.
The Significance of the Catholic Church The greatest importance of the Roman Catholic Church during the= Middle Ages was that its power to unify people helped to maintain cultural= aspects of society. At a time where education was scarce and appreciation = of the Classical World was lost, church masses were spoken in Latin, which = sustained the literature of antiquity. People went to church every Sunday, = which also unified them. Because most of the population was illiterate, art= was created to tell stories of the bible at these masses. The Church also = provided a sense of security for the people in contrast to the outbreak of = barbaric warfare that characterized the Dark Ages. The instigation of the C= rusades during the Middle Ages helped to enhance society both economically = and politically. The Catholic Church helped to preserve the power and autho= rity of the Roman Empire the remnants of a lasting culture. |
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Madame Eglantine’s ~proper religious etiquette~ |
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The ultimate source for insight into religious life = of the Middle Ages.
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Medieval Art Gallery Now on Display! in the Land of Canterbury |
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Nuns in Society |
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The Catholic Hierarchy Since the Church held immense power during the Middle Ages, the= re had to be a system to divide the authority among the many feudal estates= and provinces throughout western Europe. Therefore, a religious hierarchy = was established. The Pope was at the top of the hierarchy. He held the powe= r to appoint religious officials and establish religious canons and budgets= . In a sense, all concerns reverted back to the Pope. The Pope also had a g= reat influence over the various secular rulers among the land. The body of = religious officials that elected the Pope were called cardinals. Below the = cardinals, there were the archbishops, who were the leaders of particular r= egions. Each region was then subdivided into multiple feudal districts that= bishops would preside over. And finally, within each district, there were = priests that lead mass for villages. This hierarchy set the precedent for t= he Catholic religion even today.
Religious Orders Aside from the Catholic hierarchy that was established during t= he Middle Ages, there were many religious orders that were founded to sprea= d Christianity to all parts of the known western world. Religious orders we= re groups of religiously devoted individuals called monks or nuns that live= d together in secluded environments. Some medieval religious orders establi= shed were the Benedictines, Dominicans, Franciscans, and Augustinians. Each= order devoted their principles specifically to the saint or religious figu= re they were named after. However, these orders always separated the female= nuns from the male monks.
Convents and Nunneries Convents and nunneries were the self-sufficient communities tha= t medieval nuns lived in and still do today. The term “convent”= derives from the Latin word “convenire,” which means to come t= ogether. As the wealth of the Church grew, the fortified nunneries became l= arge towns and establishments that were able to provide all of the necessit= ies for a successful and religiously fulfilling life. The leader of a conve= nt or nunnery was the Abbess, who was elected by nuns for life. A prioress = was then in charge of the ranking below the Abbess. All other nuns in the c= onvent were referred to as Sisters.
Convent Layout There were many parts to a medieval convent. The main buildings= of the convent were the church, refectory (dining room,) kitchen, and dorm= itory, which all surrounded an inner court. There were also many gardens, b= akeries, libraries, barns, and other supply rooms so that the community cou= ld sustain itself. To guard from outside attack, a tall stone wall surround= ed the convent with a ditch behind it.
Significance of Medieval Convents The community of nuns that lived within a convent were expected= to perform many acts of charity. They fed the hungry within the surroundin= g town by donating produce and goods. Also, they played a significant role = in the education of young women who wanted to become nuns. Nuns were not on= ly religiously educated, but they were also taught in various subjects to r= ead and write, which contributed greatly to enhancing the literate populati= on. Some nuns, for instance, were trained in the medieval practice of medic= ine. Many people who were sick that lived outside the convent would come to= a convent and be treated. But the most important tribute medieval convents= have made to society was their ability to preserve classical and historica= l manuscripts that would have otherwise been lost if they had not copied th= em down. |
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Madame Eglantine’s ~proper religious etiquette~ |
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The ultimate source for insight into religious life = of the Middle Ages.
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Purchase this book if thou art curious = about life in a medieval monastery! |
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Medieval Coins for Sale! *Historic replicas only |
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Reasons to Become a Medieval Nun Women who wanted to serve God fully in their lives would follow= the path of a nun. Nuns, who remained chaste like the cult of the Virgin M= ary, were given a lot of respect. But the main reason why women became nuns= was for a better opportunity for their family. If there were religious fig= ures in a family, then the family would be looked upon as favored by God an= d would be more likely to enter Heaven. Not only did it bring honor to the = family name, but also it maintained the wealth of the family. If a woman wa= s given in marriage, the family would have to give a dowry, or a portion of= the family’s wealth, to the husband. If a family did not have enough= money to send a woman off in marriage, then they were able to contribute t= he little they had to a convent. The convent would then take her in and tra= nsform her into a nun.
Becoming a Nun A person entering a nunnery could either be an oblate, (a child= who was brought up as a nun,) or a postulant, (an older woman who decide t= o choose the religious life.) After taking a vow of obedience, a woman beco= me a postulant for one month, and then a noviate, or “nun-in-training= ,” for one year. After one year, simple vows of a nun are taken, and = then four years later, the solemn vows are taken. This makes the woman a nu= n for life. The vows a nun must take are: -The Vow of Poverty -The Vow of Chastity -The Vow of Obedience Although nuns swore by these vows, they were not always followe= d. Vows of Poverty were broken as the excessive wealth of convents expanded= . Nuns enjoyed luxuries such as jewelry, fine foods, and pets. The most str= ict rule for nuns to remain chaste was also broken. There were many cases o= f nuns getting pregnant or engaging in various sexual activities that conve= nts repeatedly tried to cover up. The only vow that was rarely broken was t= he vow of obedience because life in the convent was much more pleasant than= living elsewhere. A life in a convent offered more for a woman than a life= of serfdom or farming.
Nun’s Appearance Nuns traditionally wore a habit tied around the waist with a be= lt or rope. Over the head they wore a scapula that was a piece of cloth tha= t covered the head and shoulders. Hair shirts were worn under their h= abits to make sure none of their hair was exposed. And across their chest, = most nuns wore a long chain with a cross on the end to express their = religious devotion. Some minor details of a nun’s outfit were differe= nt among various religious orders, but these regulations were nevertheless = followed.
Daily Life of a Nun The daily life of a nun consisted of constant prayer and devoti= on, revolving around the hours of the day as described in the Book of Hours= . The Book of hours divided the day into eight segments of specified prayer= and meditation. Each hour had certain readings, prayers, and services that= were designed to help secure a place in Heaven for the nun. When the time = did not call to follow the Book of Hours, nuns worked. The jobs they held d= epended upon their social status before entering the nunnery. If they were = wealthy, then the tasks they would perform were not as laborious, such as e= mbroidery or weaving. Otherwise, the poorer nuns would wash, cook, grow veg= etables and grain, or produce wine. Nuns also were able to educate novices = in becoming a nun, copy sacred manuscripts, and provide medical care. But a= ll of these tasks were stopped when it was time for the hour of prayer or w= orship.
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About Nuns |
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Madame Eglantine’s ~proper religious etiquette~ |
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The ultimate source for insight into religious life = of the Middle Ages.
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At the right is a typical medieval nun outfit. The p= urpose of these outfits were to cover most parts of the nun’s body as= well as for identification when the nun was outside of her community. The = outfit was also a symbol of the power and authority the Church had over peo= ple. The nun’s outfit is still a canon that is followed today.= |
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Doust thou need a new copier for = all of ye written works? Summon Eglantine’s Nunnery for superb servic= es. "We're more reliable than monks!” |
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Doust thou have the courage try ye hand at Medieval Lingo= ? Then depart for the... |
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Works Cited "Chaucer's Canterbury Tales - The Nun Prioress = of the General Prologue General Prologue Essays." Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Paper= , and Book Report. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. <http://www.123helpme.com/assets/= 15612.html>. "The Church." Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http:= //www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html>. "The Crusades." Middle Ages. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. &l= t;http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/the-crusades.htm>. Keyword , By. "Women and Religion in the Middle= Ages." OzEdweb. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.ozedweb.com/history/middle_ages_wome= n_in_religion.htm>. "Medieval Churches and Monasteries in England.&= quot; UK Travel and Heritage - Britain Express= UK Travel Guide. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. <http://www.britainexpress.com/Hi= story/TheMedievalChurch.htm>. "Middle Ages Religion." Middle Ages. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-relig= ion.htm>. "The Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages.&= quot; Third Millennium Ministries. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.thirdmill.org/newfile= s/jac_arnold/CH.Arnold.RMT.1.html>. Spreading, By. "Christianity, The Church In The= Early Middle Ages." World History International: World Histo= ry Essays From Prehistory To The Present. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. <http://history-world.org/churchm= iddleages.htm>. Troth!, By My. "Speak Old English." THE MEDIEVAL FAIRE .:. Riverdale Kiwanis= . Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.medieval-faire.com/sp= eak.html>. |
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The ultimate source for insight into religious life = of the Middle Ages.
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Madame Eglantine’s ~proper religious etiquette~ |
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Bibliography |
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Thy Old English Tutorial |
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