Churches General

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The church was not just a place of worship, but also an important communication center in medieval society. Its basic areas included the nave or naves (main and side) and the presbytery, also known as the sanctuary. This housed the main altar, where Mass was celebrated. Most churches were oriented with the sanctuary on the eastern side. The baptismal font was placed near the main entrance. Another important feature was the pulpit, from which the priest addressed the people. Unlike today, sermons were conducted separately from the Mass. During the church service, the priest faced away from the people and, according to the Pope’s decree, Mass was conducted in Latin, which no one understood. This was compensated by rich visual decorations on the church walls, which aimed to explain the mysteries of the liturgy and especially biblical scenes to ordinary illiterate people. After the church service, the church space was used, for example, as a temporary storage for grain and other traded goods, or as a gathering place for the community to discuss important matters.

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