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Paragraph 5.2. The christianisation of Europe. Boniface killed near Dokkum. A Frisian town Dokkum in 754: Priests came there to try to convert people to Christianity . Boniface was one of them . They were killed by a group of robbers. Boniface died a martyr . . Wilibrord.
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Paragraph 5.2 The christianisation of Europe
Bonifacekillednear Dokkum • A Frisiantown Dokkum in 754: • PriestscametheretotrytoconvertpeopletoChristianity. • Boniface was one of them. • Theywerekilledby a group of robbers. • Bonifacedied a martyr.
Wilibrord • For centuriespeoplewerealready Christian. • The Franks were Christian. • Monksbrought the religionto Ireland and England. • But the Netherlands and Germany stayedheathens. • In 690, English monk Willibrord cameto Katwijk withothermonks.
Theyweremissionaries, whocameto the Netherlands toChristianise the Frisians. • ( = allpeople in the northwerecalledthis) • He planned his mission well; • He had permissionfrom the FrankishkingPepin ( Charlemagne’sgrandfather). • The pope in Rome had made Willibrord archbishop of the Frisians.
Willibrord built a big church in Utrecht. • Fromthere, he triedtoconvertpeople.
Christian Europe • ConvertingpeopletoChristianity was not easy. • Manysaw the missionaries as intrudersthatjustwantedto take over the Netherlands. • ManyFrisianstriedtoburn down churchesandkill the missionaries.
WhenCharlemagneconquered the area, allpeoplebecame Christian. • Around the year 1000, all of Europe was Christian.
Mixing cultures • The oldGermanictraditionsdidnotdisappearcompletely. • To make the transitiontoChristianityeasier, the churchadoptedGermanicfeasts, andstartedtocelebratethem as Christian holidays. • Examples:
Christmas: birth of Christ. It was the samedaythatGermanicpeoplecelebrated Midwinter: • Use of trees, mainlyneedles, represented the return of spring. • Easter: Christs’sresurrection. Same day as Germanic Spring festival. Use of firetochase the winter away.
Influentialclerics • There was a ranking in the church: hierarchy. • First: the pope. • Then: archbishops • Lower: bishops • Followedby: clerics, likeparishpriestsin villages.
The clergy was veryinfluential. • People went tomass ( church service) on Sunday, andtheyweretoldwhattheyshouldandshouldn’t do: • What is allowed, andwhat is notallowed!
Only the clergycouldreadandwrite • Sothey had important jobs as advisersforkingandlaw makers.
Monksandnunswere special clergy. • Theylivedisolatedfrom society, in monasteries. • TheylivedwithstrictrulesfromanoldItalian monk Benedict, from the 6th century:
Monkscouldn’tleave the monastery, • Couldn’t have possessions • Had toobey the head of the building: abbot. • Theyonlyworkedandprayed: • Ora et labora
The richchurch • Manykingsandnobles made donationsto the churchto secure a place in heaven. • Or lefttheirpossessionto the churchafterthey had died. • The churchgot a lot of land because of this. • Theyalsobecameincrediblyrich. • Also, becausetheydidn’tpayanytaxes.
Youcouldalso help the churchby building a monasteryor anabbey.