Charity General

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The term charity was understood as benevolence to one’s brethren. Christian iconography depicts charity as a Pelican, feeding its young with its own flesh.
Society, inspired by the teaching of the Church and Old Testament stories, showed compassion by giving alms, free medical aid, food and wine to the poor or travellers, sometimes even to the exiled. It was deemed that such acts of mercy secured salvation and a place in Heaven, and were more about formally securing indulgences, rather than being spontaneous.
The Church often established hospitals, hostels, hospices, but also granted pardons to prisoners, and the poor were allowed to beg in front of the church and visit the baths at least twice a year at the expense of the town.

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