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​Topic 2 Lesson 2: Christianity Spreads

By Eleni Simon

When the Roman empire collapsed, Christianity had not spread far beyond the empire's borders. Many Europeans were pagans. A pagan is a follower of a polytheistic religion, or a religion with more than one god. During the early Middle Ages, Catholic missionaries traveled across Europe to convert pagans to Christianity. A missionary, is a person who tries to convert others to a particular religion.

Converts generally chose Christianity freely. Sometimes, however, people did not have a choice. For example, Charlemagne forced the Saxons to become Christians in the early 800s.

How did Europe become Christian?

​One important early missionary was a man named Patrick.

Some of the stories about Patrick are probably legendary, but we do know that Patrick was born in Britain in the late 300s. As a teenager, he was sold into slavery in Ireland.

Patrick eventually escaped, but he later returned to Ireland to convert its people to Christianity.

Patrick began his missionary work in northern and western Ireland. At first, Irish people resisted his teachings. But over time, he gained the trust and friendship of the local tribes.

Many Irish people became Christians. In fact, Patrick and other early missionaries founded hundreds of Christian churches in Ireland. After Patrick's death, the Catholic Church recognized him as a saint, or an especially holy person.

Patrick Converts Ireland

in Britain During the early Middle Ages, many missionaries were sent by popes, or the leaders of the Catholic Church. In 597, for example, Pope Gregory I sent a group of monks as missionaries to Britain. They were welcomed by the king of Kent, whose wife was already a Catholic. After the king converted to the new faith, his subjects followed his example. Over the next hundred years, most of Britain became Catholic as well.

Missionaries Arrive

Multiple Choice

Why were missionaries important during the early Middle Ages?

• Boost trade and commerce.

• Spreading Christianity and preserving knowledge during the early Middle Ages.

• Primarily responsible for military conquests.

• Missionaries aimed to promote local pagan religions.

Multiple Choice

How did Patrick's approach to converting Irish people differ from other missionaries?

• Patrick's approach was more culturally adaptive and relatable compared to other missionaries.
• Patrick ignored local customs and traditions.
• He used force and intimidation to gain followers.
• Patrick focused solely on converting the elite class.

Multiple Choice

What was unique about the conversion of Britain under Pope Gregory I?

• The use of Latin exclusively in religious practices.
• The immediate establishment of a centralized church authority.
• The King's wife was already Catholic

• The rejection of all local traditions and customs.

Multiple Choice

What does the term 'pagan' specifically mean in this historical context?

• A Christian missionary

• A person who rejects religion

• A follower of a polytheistic religion

• A Roman citizen

By the 700s and 800s, Catholic missionaries were traveling to other parts of Europe. In Central and Eastern Europe, monks worked to convert Slavic peoples. In the 900s, for example, they brought Christianity to the West Slavs

​​Slavic People

​In northern Europe, the British monk Boniface worked to establish the Catholic Church in Germany and the Netherlands. The new shared faith helped bring people together and led to the formation of new states. For example, Poland began to take shape after its first king converted to Christianity in 966.

Boniface

Everyday Life

​Christianity Spreads Through Europe

Over time, the Catholic faith became part of everyday life in most parts of Europe. Daily life revolved around the Catholic calendar, which included many holidays, such as Easter, as well as local holy days dedicated to saints. The church became the center of European society as well as a place of worship.

During the early Middle Ages, some Christian men and women chose lives of religious study and prayer. In time, those people formed monasteries and convents. A monastery, is a secluded community where men called monks focus on prayer and scripture. A convent is a religious community for women known as nuns. Monks and nuns devote their lives to spiritual goals.

The Roles of the Monasteries and Convents

The Benedict Rule

The first Christian monasteries developed in Egypt in the 300s CE. Later, an Italian monk named Benedict established a new European version of monastic life. About 529, Benedict organized a monastery in central Italy. There, he created a series of rules for monastic life. In time, these rules-known as the Benedictine Rule-were adopted by monasteries and convents throughout Europe.

Under the Benedictine Rule, monastic life was a shared experience that balanced prayer and work. Monks and nuns made vows, or solemn promises, to live and worship within their communities for the rest of their lives. They also promised to obey their leaders, work for the good of their community, remain unmarried, and own nothing individually.

The monastic day was busy—and long. It began early, with prayers before dawn, and ended late in the evening. Each day was divided into periods for worship, work, and study. Monks used chants to mark the canonical hours, or religious divisions, of the day.

Busy Day

Monasteries and convents were not only places where monks and nuns lived and prayed, but were also places of work and study. Many were self-contained communities that grew their own food. They made many of the things people needed in daily life. Monks worked in the monastery's gardens and workshops. They worked in libraries where they copied and illustrated religious manuscripts.

Growing Body and Mind

Early medieval Europe had no hospitals or public schools. As a result, monasteries and convents often provided basic health and educational services. Monks and nuns helped care for poor or sick people. They set up schools for children.

​​Health Services

Everyday life in Monasteries

Ancient Learning Alive

Monasteries and convents helped keep ancient learning alive. Their libraries contained Greek, Roman, and Christian works, which monks and nuns copied. Some monks created illuminated manuscripts. They decorated texts with elaborate illustrations of biblical scenes or Christian concepts. Monks and nuns also wrote and taught Latin, which was the language of the Church and of educated people.

One visitor to a medieval French monastery wrote the following:

Primary Source

"For my part, the more attentively I watch them day by day, the more do I believe that they are perfect followers of Christ in all things. When they pray and speak to God in spirit and in truth, by their friendly and quiet speech to Him, as well as by their humbleness of demeanor, they are plainly seen to be God's companions and friends. ... As I watch them, therefore, singing without fatigue from before midnight to the dawn of day, with only a brief interval, they appear a little less than angels, but much more than men."

—William of St. Thierry, Description of Clairvaux Abbey, about 1143

Multiple Choice

What significant role did the Catholic Church play in European society during the Middle Ages?

• Focused solely on spiritual matters, avoiding political influence.

• Primarily a source of economic wealth for the nobility.

• A unifying force in society, influencing politics, education, and social norms.

• Promoted scientific advancements and technological innovations.

Multiple Choice

How did the conversion of a ruler typically impact the religious practices of their subjects?

• Subjects would often follow the ruler's religious conversion

• Subjects rarely changed their beliefs

• Only some subjects would convert

• Rulers had no influence on religious practices

Multiple Choice

How did the spread of Christianity contribute to political development in Europe?

• It caused political fragmentation

• It had no impact on state formation

• It only benefited religious leaders

• It helped create new states and unify populations

As Christianity spread, the Catholic Church gradually became a powerful force in Europe.

Church leaders influenced not only the spiritual life of medieval Catholics, but also many aspects of secular, or nonreligious, life.

The Medieval Church

As you read in an earlier chapter, the Church taught that people should live lives based on the teachings of Jesus. Sins, such as stealing or doing harm to others, were violations of God's law. Catholics believed that the way people lived would affect what happened to their souls after death.

God's Law

​The concepts of heaven and hell were central to medieval Catholic beliefs. Heaven was described as a perfect place of peace and beauty, where the souls of those who followed God's laws would go after death. Hell was described as a fiery place of punishment for sinners.

After Death

​Catholics believed that the only way to avoid hell was to do good deeds, believe in Jesus, and participate in the sacraments. The sacraments are the sacred rites of the Christian Church, such as baptism and communion. Baptism is a rite that uses water as a sign of spiritual purification and admits a person to the Christian community. Communion is a rite in which people consume consecrated bread and wine, or bread and wine that has been made sacred and which Catholics believe thus becomes the body and blood of Jesus.

Sacraments

​Catholic Teachings

The pope and other Catholic leaders had significant influence in medieval Europe. Medieval Europeans believed that the Church was the highest authority and the guardian of God's truth. Because the Church controlled the administration of the sacraments, it could punish people by denying them the sacraments. Medieval Catholics believed that people who did not receive the sacraments would be condemned to hell.

The Power of the Medieval Church

The Church also controlled some land and wealth directly. The pope controlled vast lands in central Italy, and many high-ranking clergy were nobles who had their own territories and armies. Some wealthy monasteries held large areas of land.

Church Control

Secular rulers sometimes struggled against the influence of the Church. For example, they argued over whether the pope or secular leaders had the right to choose local bishops.​

Power Struggles

What Was Christendom?

Eventually, most peoples of Europe were united under the Catholic faith. Although Christians might speak different languages and follow different customs, they saw themselves as part of Christendom. Christendom is the large community of Christians spread across the world. The idea of Christendom gave the peoples of Europe a common identity and a sense of purpose. Over time, this sense of common purpose would bring some Christians into conflict with their pagan, Jewish, and Muslim neighbors.

Multiple Choice

How did monasteries and convents contribute to preserving knowledge during the early Middle Ages?

• By destroying ancient texts
• By burning books
• By copying and illustrating manuscripts
• By ignoring historical writings

Multiple Choice

What was the primary purpose of the Benedictine Rule in monastic life?

• To create a balanced life of prayer and work
• To encourage individual wealth
• To discourage education
• To promote military training

Multiple Choice

What social services did monasteries and convents provide in early medieval Europe?

• Basic health care and education
• Trade and commerce
• Entertainment
• Military defense

Multiple Choice

How did the Catholic Church exert power over medieval society?

• By controlling sacrament administration
• Through military conquest
• By electing government officials
• By selling land

Multiple Choice

What did medieval Catholics believe about salvation?

• Salvation was automatic
• Salvation required good deeds and belief in Jesus
• Salvation was impossible
• Salvation depended on wealth

Multiple Choice

What was 'Christendom' in medieval Europe?

• A specific country
• A type of currency
• A community of Christians across Europe
• A military alliance

Multiple Choice

What vows did monks and nuns take under the Benedictine Rule?

• To become wealthy
• To marry and have children
• To travel extensively
• To remain unmarried and own nothing

Multiple Choice

How did monks and nuns typically spend their day?

• Engaging in prayer, work, and study
• Watching entertainment
• Sleeping and relaxing
• Conducting business

Multiple Choice

What was the significance of Latin in medieval monasteries?

• It was the language of the Church and educated people
• It was a secret language
• It was forbidden
• It was used for trading

Multiple Choice

What were the two primary sacraments mentioned in the text?

• Baptism and communion
• Coronation and knighthood
• Marriage and divorce
• Birth and death