Medieval Essay

Why did the cult of saints and their relics appeal so strongly to ordinary believers in this period?

Throughout this question several issues must be addressed and it is necessary to try and discover the social and cultural context which led to the emergence of saints, their relics and their cults. It is also is to be assumed that by Ð''ordinary believers,' it is referring to anyone who has not taken a monastic vow regardless of their social status. Undeniably the appeal of the saints and their relics is a highly complex subject with multiple factors affecting the believer and there being several psychological influences. These are mainly concentrated in that things could be gained, in good fortune or going to pilgrimage and visiting their relics to gain penance. The actions of the clergy and the spread of the tales of the miracles of these saints both performed in their lifetime and after death will have some precedent in forming the opinions of these ordinary believers, thus it is important to consider them too.

It needs to be considered the way in which the clergy promoted the images of such religious ideologies.

"Miracle stories as propaganda," it appealed so strongly to ordinary believers due to the way saints were presented. The use of the miracle stories in saint's lives and at their shrines would encourage visitors and be subject to Christian ideological spin to ensure the growth and maintenance of the faith. Not only this, but the shrines and relics became a lucrative business during this period, if they could draw pilgrims willing to make contributions for their prayers to be answered . Thus it is evident the benefits of up keeping the hype and appeal to shrines and the purchase of relics. Not only would the cult of saints and their relics appeal to ordinary believers due to a way of understanding the powers of God but that the appeal was emphasised heavily by those who had power or money to gain from their existence.

Augustine of Hippo is an example which supports this idea as he promotes this idea of carefully recording the miracles of these saints, "Unbelievers are excited to believe by miracles and they also confirm faith." Thereby by preaching and recording the miraculous events these saints carried out would ensure that the tales were used by priests in sermons and never far from ordinary believer's ears.

Contrarily shrines and the appeal of cults and shrines of the saints were sometimes more of a hassle than the contributions that the parish may gain, in that hundreds of invalids could swarm the shrine of a saint in order to be made better. The believers who had to money or produced to bargain for health treatments had much more of an emphasis and longing for the help of a saint.

Tales of miraculous cures and healings at such places mentioned "Aachen, Canterbury, Duren, Cologne, Padua" . It was perceived that saints were God's vehicles sent to earth to assist and that he placed them here to carry out actions impossible for the normal human being. It is understandable that relics usually parts of the saint's body became so guarded and valued in a sacred way, as they manifested a Ð''real' part of God's divine power. The relics of saints such as the St. Thomas Becket were displayed in the church or cathedral and tales of the healings heavily publicised and know not only in the direct region of the parish, thus the evidence found revealing large numbers of casualties to enter the presence of these holy body parts. It has been described that in Canterbury Cathedral scenes of "wretched cripples writhing on the floor by Beckets tomb," emphasising the popularity and extensive belief in the healing powers. Despite the growth of medics in the medieval ages there was still a long way to go before the ideas of sanitation and cleanliness thus going to a shrine and gaining a miracle cure was sometimes the last alternative. Those without hope or money to pay for these Ð''medics' that had started to emerge in the twelfth century could turn to religion and through saints gain a pathway to God to be cured and shrines and saints relics were an integral part of that.

The powers vested in these individuals can be seen as embodying almost pagan ideals, that supernatural and inexplicable occurrences were possible through rituals the rituals in this way were the preservation of the relics and the set up of shrines within the confines of the church.

Christendom as an institution was a fairly new one across the medieval world. Thus the roots of paganism are difficult to escape. Could the fascination of saints and their relics be attributed to society's pagan past? The supernatural element clearly evident in these tales of the powers of these relics and their ability to cure or promote invincibility resonates with the pagan ideas and rituals.

Country Approximate time of conversion

England 600

Denmark 950

France Before 400

Although it was often greatly disputed by church leaders when trying to convert unbelievers the difference between Ð''magic' and the power of miracles this could be difficult when the idea of supernatural assistance had been present in many generations mindset and societies framework.

The powers of these miracles were elevated further not only by the longevity at which such belief in magical or miraculous events took place but in the individuals which propelled the saint's status.

The status of those who bought relics can also be attributed with creating appeal and cults of saints. Kings and queens would have drawn attention to the belief in the powers of these relics, as even those with undeniable power and wealth still would pay gargantuan sums of money in order to claim a relic of their own. This would again stipulate to ordinary believers the miraculous power these saints, possessed, increasing their appeal and the emergence of cults.

However is it possible that knowledge of these transactions would filter down to the ordinary believer in church? Was information of royal movements known by the peasants of the time? It is likely knights and other members high up in the social hierarchy would have been aware, but it is difficult to know the extent that such an incident would have been publicised. The importance of high social status individuals and their interactions with these cults can also however be disregarded, "all these men, women and children, from all classes of society, could claim prayers of the saint." It appealed so strongly due to the fact cults