Priests and the Black Death: Faith Amid Plague
When the Black Death swept through Europe, priests were among those who paid the highest price. Risking their lives to comfort the dying, they stood on the front lines of faith against the deadliest plague of the Middle Ages.
Medieval Scholar Called Out the Shroud of Turin as a Fake, Study Finds
A new study reveals that Nicole Oresme, one of the great minds of fourteenth-century France, denounced the Shroud of Turin as a fake decades before its famous 1389 controversy. His writings highlight both medieval skepticism and clerical deception.
Faith Tibble and the Crown of Thorns: Rethinking a Medieval Icon
Faith Tibble’s new book, The Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings, challenges centuries of assumptions about one of Christianity’s most iconic symbols. Drawing on meticulous research and a storyteller’s touch, she invites readers to look again at the medieval art they thought they knew.
How the Crusade Became a Medieval Institution
This article explores how the crusade emerged as a distinct medieval institution, shaped by ideas of holy war, just war, and penance.
Marked by Faith: Tattoos and the Christian Body in the Middle Ages
Tattoos in the Middle Ages? While often associated with criminals or pagans, these marks on the skin could also signal Christian devotion, sacred journeys, and personal identity in unexpected ways.
Sin and Creativity in the Middle Ages: New Book Explores Medieval German Devotional Writing
A new book by Sarah Bowden explores how sin and penance inspired literary creativity in medieval Germany, offering fresh insights into devotional writing and the development of the German language.
Can We Build a Forest from It or Not? Investigating the Relics of the True Cross
Did the relics of the True Cross really add up to a whole forest? This article explores medieval claims, 12th-century letters, and the ongoing debate over the authenticity of Christianity’s most famous relic.
A Vision from Heaven: The Dream That Inspired Cluny’s Great Church
Discover how a divine vision experienced by the monk Gunzo inspired the construction of Cluny III, the largest church in medieval Christendom. A story of faith, architecture, and the heavenly mandate that shaped a monastic masterpiece.
New Medieval Books: Easter
The origins and practices associated with the Christian festival of Easter are often a hotly debated topic. This book examines history of Easter and its connections with pagan religions.
New Medieval Books: Cross-dressing in the Middle Ages
Whether it’s Joan of Arc donning armor or women disguising themselves as monks to enter monasteries, gender-crossing attire appears in medieval history more often than you might expect. This book explores the subject in depth.
How to Live Like a Monk in Stressful Times – The Medieval Podcast, Episode 280
It’s safe to say that this moment in history is proving to be a stressful one, leaving many of us feeling anxious and…
Laughing at Evil: The Hidden Purpose of Gargoyles
Gargoyles aren’t just eerie stone figures—they were medieval weapons against evil, using fear, satire, and mockery to protect both buildings and beliefs.
New Medieval Books: Saints and Sinners on Horseback, Volume II
Saints and Sinners on Horseback, Volume II Edited by Miriam A. Bibby Trivent Publishing ISBN: 978-615-6696-29-8 This book presents seven essays exploring the…
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.