Why Being a Medieval Priest Wasn’t as Easy as You Think
Here are a few drawbacks to being a medieval priest.
New Medieval Books: Genesis Myth in Beowulf and Old English Biblical Poetry
The Bible opens with the Book of Genesis, which recounts the creation of the world and other foundational stories of Christianity. This book explores how these tales appear in early medieval English literature, including Beowulf.
New Medieval Books: Women and the Reformations
From queens like Elizabeth I to mystics such as Teresa of Ávila, women held pivotal roles in the religious struggles that shaped Christianity during the late Middle Ages and Early Modern period. This book examines the Reformation and Counter Reformation through several leading female figures, both within and outside of Europe.
17 Forbidden Medieval Superstitions and Practices
Discover the strange and forbidden practices that medieval Church authorities fought to banish—but never fully eradicated.
The Magi and Crusader Kings: Symbols of Faith and Power
What do the Three Wise Men and the Crusades have in common? Discover how medieval kings, knights, and emperors drew inspiration from the Magi’s journey, transforming their relics and symbolism into a powerful testament of faith, humility, and sacrifice.
Can scholars and clerics be manly?, with Maroula Perisanidi
A conversation with Maroula Perisanidi about the distinctive kind of masculinity that was fashioned by scholars and priests in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the challenges and deficits that it faced, and the masculine capital that men in those occupations tried to amass and then spend.
Medieval Ghost Stories: The Chilling Haunts of Byland Abbey
What would you do if a ghost blocked your path, or if a spirit appeared at your door, desperate for absolution? For the people of medieval England, these weren’t mere tales to spook children—they were real encounters that offered lessons about life, death, and the afterlife. Byland Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Yorkshire, is the source of some of the most fascinating and chilling ghost stories from the Middle Ages.
‘You Talk, We Act’: A Remarkable Dialogue from the Middle Ages
This remarkable text captures a dialogue between a Parisian Master of Theology and a Beguine, recorded in the late 13th century.
New Medieval Books: The Green Ages
Can we learn from people in the Middle Ages when it comes to living sustainably? This book examines topics such as recycling, microfinance and minimalism to show how the medieval world offers lessons to the modern one.
Book Review: Sweet Hunter: The Complete Poems of St. Teresa of Ávila
The engaging freshness of the translations collapses much of the distance between this fervent mystic of Ávila and the contemporary reader, making Sweet Hunter a fascinating and moving volume.
Whispers from Beyond: Medieval Ghosts and Their Messages About the Afterlife
In the Middle Ages, ghostly encounters were more than just frightening tales—they were seen as windows into the afterlife, offering messages from purgatory or warnings from demonic spirits. Discover how medieval people communicated with the dead and what these spirits revealed about their journey beyond the grave.
How Did Danish Vikings Become Christian European?
The lecture presents some of the most significant archaeological finds in Denmark from the transition from the pre-Christian period into the Early Middle Ages.
New Medieval Books: Translating Faith
At the close of the Middle Ages, a community of Ethiopian pilgrims settled in Rome. This book explores the records maintained by these Ethiopian Christians, shedding light on their way of life and their interactions with the Roman Catholic Church in the sixteenth century.
The Strange Medieval Sculptures of Nidaros Cathedral
By Nancy Bazilchuk Noblemen and women, in fancy clothing and pearls – but with dragon wings and tails. A laughing man with a…
The Queens Who Shaped Medieval Christianity: Gregory the Great’s Forgotten Allies
While Gregory’s influence is well known, the role of several powerful queens in promoting Catholic Christianity during his time is a fascinating but often overlooked aspect of this period.
Medieval Pilgrimages: It’s All About the Journey
An integral part of this tangible form of faith was the pilgrimage: a spiritual journey to visit a holy site.
New Medieval Books: The Mirror of Simple Souls
This novel, originally in French as La nuit de béguines, tells the story of a community of religious women in 14th century Paris. It is based on the Beguines, the lay religious order that courted controversy in the later Middle Ages.
Medieval Faith or Fiction? When Believers in the Middle Ages Questioned Religion
Uncover the hidden truth of medieval Europe, where not all were devout believers, as tales of doubt, skepticism, and even atheism emerged. Explore how these surprising challenges to religious norms reshaped our understanding of the Middle Ages.
Madonna of the Pantheon Restoration Unveiled
The iconic Madonna of the Pantheon has been meticulously restored after a eight-month project. The revered medieval icon was unveiled last month.
New Medieval Books: Shi’ite Rulers, Sunni Rivals, and Christians in Between
This book examines how inter-religious relations worked in the Fatimid Caliphate during the late tenth and early eleventh centuries. It would be a period that saw great swings back and forth when it came to religious tolerance.
Early medieval fragment of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas discovered
Researchers in Germany have discovered the earliest surviving copy of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. Dating to the 4th or 5th century AD, the fragment is part of a Gospel which tells episodes of the childhood of Jesus.
New Medieval Books: Cunning Folk
A look at everyday magic in England between the 14th and 17th centuries. It reveals how people from different backgrounds believed that magic could help them with various tasks, whether it be finding buried treasure or predicting the future.
New Medieval Books: The Medieval Clergy, 800-1250
More than 70 sources are translated here to offer readers a look into the lives of priests, bishops and other clergy in the Middle Ages. It is a wide-ranging book, covering topics from how to do baptisms to bishops getting involved in wars.
Five Jokes about the Medieval Church
Could medieval people joke about religion? Poggio Bracciolini proves it to be true, and offers us five funny stories. In 1470 the Italian…
The Holy Foreskin: The Story of Christianity’s Strangest Relic
When I first heard about the Sanctum Praeputium I thought it was a joke thought up by some medievalist. However, in the Middle Ages there was much debate if a little piece of Jesus Christ remained on Earth.