Meet the Middle Ages
BackThe parish church
The church played an essential part in most people’s lives. They went to church every Sunday to take part in the service. Here, they met God and the heavenly life through the bread of the Holy Sacrament. After the service, they met one another outside church to hear the latest news and to gossip.
People came to church many times in their lives: when they married, when their children where christened, and when they were buried. Everyone also had to go to confession at least once a year. Then you told the priest about your faults and your sins and asked them to be forgiven by God.
The priest knew his parishioners well. He listened to them and helped them as best he could. The church and the priest were present on both workdays and holidays. Christian faith was a natural part of life.
Some days of the year were Christian feast days, for example Easter, Christmas and the days when various saints were celebrated. Thanksgiving Day in the autumn was especially important in the country-side. It was celebrated to thank God for the year’s harvest.
In Northern Sweden, people sometimes lived so far from the parish church that they were not able to go every Sunday. In many places, a special church village was built next to the church, so that the church-visitors could spend the night.
Most churches were quite small and built of wood. In prosperous provinces, peoples could afford to build stone churches.
Read more about the Church under "Society. Town Life. Churches, monasteries and nunneries."