Priests Society

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Priests in medieval society were part of the elite and among the few who had some education.
Village priests were not as educated as those from larger parishes. They were not good at reading or writing and did not maintain a library; instead, they memorised liturgical texts. They were also not very wealthy, often working in the fields or raising livestock like other peasants. They did not observe celibacy, engaged in folk entertainment and games, danced, and frequented taverns.
Lax morals and declining education later appeared in towns and monasteries. In contrast, priests in large parishes and towns possessed more wealth and did not need to do manual labour except for serving God.
The duties of a priest included preparing and conducting mass, hearing confessions, taking care of the church (its operation and decoration), visiting the poor and sick, organising collections for charity, collecting taxes, baptisms, weddings, last rites, and funerals.

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