Medieval Christianity: Key Terms, Figures, and Movements
Key Theological and Ecclesiastical Terms
Prophetic Action
Action carried out by prophets to denounce things that were not aligned with God’s will.
Patriarch
The title given to the heads of the Eastern Churches.
Excommunication
Separation from the communion of the Church.
Episcopate
In this context, all the bishops of the Orthodox Church.
Inquisition
An ecclesiastical tribunal in charge of ensuring the purity of the faith.
Dualism
The doctrine that the universe is controlled by two antagonistic and irreducible principles.
Mendicant
A religious person who relies on begging or charity to support their work. They did not possess stable goods, which allowed them to concentrate freely on preaching the gospel to the faithful.
Sanctuary
A place that has become sacred due to a divine revelation, the preservation of relics or images, and is a center of devotion.
Relic
The remains of a saint’s body or belongings that are venerated.
Carving
A sculpture, especially one made of wood, representing a human figure.
Scholasticism
A theological and philosophical movement focused on reconciling the arguments of faith with the arguments of reason.
Ontological Argument
An argument for the existence of God based on reason and the concept of being.
Crusader
A medieval knight who participated in a military expedition or crusade, often directed against Muslims and other non-Christians.
Crusade
A Christian military expedition to reconquer the Holy Land.
Forgiving
The quality of being able to easily forgive mistakes or faults.
Medieval Art and Architecture
Architecture
Cathedrals were designed to evoke a feeling of divine mystery, symbolizing an encounter with God and uplifting the spirit.
Stained Glass
Large windows with bright colors suggested the presence of God illuminating the church.
Sculpture
Sculptures were found on the exterior (stone) and interior (stone or wood), including bronze and stone tombs. Common scenes depicted the Passion of Christ and the Virgin Mary with the child.
Decorative Art
Included Bibles and manuscripts illustrated with miniatures.
Prominent Scholastic Figures
St. Anselm of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury and a founder of medieval scholasticism, he is known for the ontological argument for the existence of God.
St. Thomas Aquinas
He reconciled Christian dogma with the philosophy of Aristotle.
Duns Scotus
A main representative of scholasticism who developed critical, rational, and demonstrative thinking.
Religious Orders and Movements
Peace and Truce of God
A movement in the 11th to 13th centuries. The Peace of God aimed to protect non-combatants from violence, while the Truce of God suspended warfare during certain days or seasons as determined by the Church.
Cistercian Order
In 12th-century Catalonia, the Cistercian order was established, with a strong focus on devotion to the Virgin Mary.
Mercedarian Order
Founded by St. Peter Nolasco, its mission was to rescue Christian captives from Muslim domains.
Franciscan Order
Founded by St. Francis of Assisi, this order had a presence in Barcelona, with figures like Blessed Ramon Llull being prominent.
Dominican Order
St. Ramon de Penyafort was a prominent member of the Dominican Order.
Carmelite Order
A religious order whose origin is related to Mount Carmel in Israel. Arnau de Vilanova was a notable figure associated with the order.
Medieval Music
Gregorian Chant
Pope Gregory the Great, during his pontificate, organized the prayers of the Christian liturgy. The music associated with this is called Gregorian chant.
Polyphony
At the end of the 12th century, a new musical style called polyphony appeared, which consists of superimposing several independent vocal lines.
Red Book of Montserrat
A unique manuscript that expresses the popular piety at Montserrat, serving as a testimony to its era and culture. Its poetic and musical interest is enhanced by the inclusion of dances, making the codex a unique record of religious dance in medieval Europe.
The Crusades
As a result of demographic changes since the 10th century and an awakening of international economic activity, the West launched conquests in the East, which showed signs of weakness. The primary causes were the revival of commercial activities in the West and the desire to recover the Holy Land. The Crusades were presented as armed pilgrimages or holy wars, often led by clergy, with the goal of defeating Islam and freeing the Holy Land from Muslim domination. They also served as an outlet for the energies of European knights, directing them towards the goal of conquering the Holy Sepulchre from those they considered infidels.