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 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......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 2304
Approximate Pages: 9 (260 words per double-spaced page) |