7th Lesson 5 (intro, sections 1 thru 3)

The Roman Catholic Church in Medieval Europe

• The Church was the center of life in medieval western Europe.
• Almost every community had a church building, and larger towns and cities had a cathedral.
• The church building was the center of community activity and many parts of daily life.
• The church was a daily presence from birth to death.
• It provided education and helped the poor and sick.
• People looked to the Church to explain world events, and hoped prayer and religious devotion would prevent disasters.
• They were concerned about the fate of their souls after death, and the Church claimed that salvation would come to those who followed its teachings.
• The Church's power, however, led to conflict with European monarchs.

The Christian Church Takes Shape

• Christians are followers of Jesus, who, according to Christian scripture, was put to death on a Roman cross in the 1st century C.E.
• Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God, that God sent him to Earth to save people from their sins, and that he rose from the dead after his death by crucifixion.
• In 313 C.E., the Roman emperor Constantine issued a decree allowing Christians to practice their religion freely.
• In 395 C.E., Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
• The Church provided leadership and, at times, even organized the distribution of food.

The Organization of the Roman Catholic Church

• The pope, who was the bishop of Rome, was the supreme head of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Cardinals, who ranked just below the pope in the Church hierarchy, assisted and counseled him.
• Archbishops oversaw large or important areas called archdioceses.
• Bishops governed areas called dioceses from great cathedrals.
• Within each diocese, priests served local communities, called parishes.

### The Increasing Power of the Church

• The Church acquired great economic power during the Middle Ages.
• It was the largest landholder in Europe by the year 1050.
• The medieval Church added to its wealth by collecting a tithe, or tax.
• The Church also came to wield great political power.
• Church officials often were the trusted scribes and advisors of monarchs.

Sacraments and Salvation in the Middle Ages

• The Church taught that people gained salvation by following the Church's teachings and living a moral life.
• The sacraments marked the most important occasions in a person's life, such as baptism and marriage.

### Pilgrimages and Crusades

• Pilgrimages were long journeys to visit holy sites, such as Jerusalem, Rome, and Canterbury Cathedral, which housed relics.
• Pilgrims went on these journeys to demonstrate their devotion to God, to perform penance for their sins, or to attempt to cure an illness.
• The Crusades were a series of military expeditions to the Holy Land, where Jesus had lived.
• Crusaders fought to recover Jerusalem and other sites of pilgrimage.
• Some Crusaders sought wealth or adventure, others believed it would guarantee their salvation.
• Many Crusader acts were carried out of deep religious belief.

Explore how the Roman Catholic Church shaped life in medieval Europe. From community activities to the Church's role in education and charity, this quiz covers its influence on everyday life and interactions with monarchs. Dive into the development of Christianity and its foundational beliefs through historical context.