New Religious Orders and Spiritual Ideals
Many monasteries began to pop up in the 11th and 12th centuries. The Cistercian order was established in 1098 by some monks who wanted to have more strict guidelines for their monastery. The Cistercians only ate certain foods, and their only clothing was one robe. They had no decorations in anything, and all they spent their time doing was praying and working. This way of life became very popular throughout Europe, and it spread quickly. Many days were spent only praying to God and nothing else. Perhaps the most devoted was St. Bernard of Clairvaux who said, "Arise, soldier of Christ, arise! Get up off the ground and return to the battle from which you have fled! Fight more boldly after your flight, and triumph in glory!"
Women in Religious Orders
Women were becoming increasingly important in spiritual orders. In the High Middle Ages, many of the women were from aristocratic families that couldn't marry them or who wished not to marry. They lived in convents with many other women and were very well educated.
Hildegard of Bingen was a very important abbess who was in the convent at Disibodenberg, Germany. She wrote a lot about the visions and dreams that she got from God. She eventually turned these writings into books. She became very popular, and even the popes and kings would come to her with troubling questions and ask for advice. She is also greatly known for her composition of music. She wrote many songs in the style of Gregorian chant. This was very impressive for a women to accomplish at the time because it was only men who did music.
Hildegard of Bingen was a very important abbess who was in the convent at Disibodenberg, Germany. She wrote a lot about the visions and dreams that she got from God. She eventually turned these writings into books. She became very popular, and even the popes and kings would come to her with troubling questions and ask for advice. She is also greatly known for her composition of music. She wrote many songs in the style of Gregorian chant. This was very impressive for a women to accomplish at the time because it was only men who did music.
Living the Gospel Life
Saint Francis and Saint Dominic were very influential in the 13th century. The groups which they started weren't secluded, but rather taught and evangelized, making it their mission to make Christ known. These orders were also mendicant and lived in extreme poverty.
St. Francis of Assisi lived from 1182-1226, and was born in a very wealthy family. He decided to give up his possessions, however, and live in poverty to preach to people. He eventually had many followers who did the same thing by preaching in poverty in order to spread the Word. The only rules were that they had to focus on preaching and only begging and working for food. He then went to Pope Innocent III, who then allowed the group to officially be called the Order of Friars Minor, or the Franciscans. They spread vastly throughout Europe, and became very popular. They taught things such as poverty and giving to the poor and needy. There was a female offspring from the Franciscans known as the Poor Clares, and they also took up poverty and preaching.
St. Dominic also started a group of preachers whose goal was to rid the church of heresy. This group was called the Order of Preachers, or the Dominicans. Dominic wanted his followers to be well educated so that they could seem credible in their preaching against heresy. He thought that this was the way that heresy could best be extinguished. The Dominicans were also approved by Pope Innocent III as mendicant friars.
The Beguines also sprouted up among the field of religious growth. These were groups of women who lived in poverty and prayed constantly. The way in which they were able to live was by begging and working in hospitals and such. They spread up into Germany and throughout southern Europe.
St. Francis of Assisi lived from 1182-1226, and was born in a very wealthy family. He decided to give up his possessions, however, and live in poverty to preach to people. He eventually had many followers who did the same thing by preaching in poverty in order to spread the Word. The only rules were that they had to focus on preaching and only begging and working for food. He then went to Pope Innocent III, who then allowed the group to officially be called the Order of Friars Minor, or the Franciscans. They spread vastly throughout Europe, and became very popular. They taught things such as poverty and giving to the poor and needy. There was a female offspring from the Franciscans known as the Poor Clares, and they also took up poverty and preaching.
St. Dominic also started a group of preachers whose goal was to rid the church of heresy. This group was called the Order of Preachers, or the Dominicans. Dominic wanted his followers to be well educated so that they could seem credible in their preaching against heresy. He thought that this was the way that heresy could best be extinguished. The Dominicans were also approved by Pope Innocent III as mendicant friars.
The Beguines also sprouted up among the field of religious growth. These were groups of women who lived in poverty and prayed constantly. The way in which they were able to live was by begging and working in hospitals and such. They spread up into Germany and throughout southern Europe.
Monasticism and Social Services
Monasteries were still important in this time period, and the monks and nuns did a lot of work to aid people and advance history. They would pray, copy manuscripts, organize and run libraries and schools, become missionaries, preach to poor people, and defend against heresy. During this time period, the monks and nuns were the ones who helped with civil and social services.
They monasteries would often be found giving clothes to the poor, as well as feeding them. They would allow pilgrims to stay when they were travelling by. They also began to take in sick patients and treat them with medicinal herbs found in the gardens that they planted and maintained. It was mostly very sick people who were taken care of, such as blind, old and chronically sick people. There were also sections for just lepers. Many of these leprous sections were spread throughout Europe because of how widespread the disease was.
They monasteries would often be found giving clothes to the poor, as well as feeding them. They would allow pilgrims to stay when they were travelling by. They also began to take in sick patients and treat them with medicinal herbs found in the gardens that they planted and maintained. It was mostly very sick people who were taken care of, such as blind, old and chronically sick people. There were also sections for just lepers. Many of these leprous sections were spread throughout Europe because of how widespread the disease was.