Christianity and Germanic Peoples in the Early Middle Ages
Christianity and Germanic Peoples in the Roman Empire
1.1 Germans and Christians in the Empire: The Empire designated specific regions where Germanic peoples were allotted land as fiefs. The last Roman Emperor was Romulus Augustulus. Three circumstances are notable: the population remained faithful to Catholicism, the barbarians arrived in an already Christianized empire, and the imperial structures miraculously survived. It’s questionable whether the adhesion of western territories kept the Roman primacy, but the central unit and the Church’s moral authority were maintained.
Conversion of Germanic Peoples
1.2 Conversion of Germanic Peoples: This presented a difficulty: new towns had their own culture, loose morals, and distinct standards. This posed a different challenge, requiring the implementation of catechesis for Christian evangelization and the Christianization of customs. The Germans initially professed the Arian faith, but their evangelization was fast and effective. First, in 496, after the Frankish King Clovis’ baptism, came the Burgundians and the Swabians. In Hispania, the Visigoths had already arrived, and they converted in the late 6th century after King Recaredo, at the conclusion of the Third Council of Toledo in 589. The Angles and Saxons converted later, in the 6th and 7th centuries.
The Church in Germanic Realms
2. The Church in Germanic Realms: The territorial structure balanced ecclesiastical forces and the disruptive effects of depopulation and occupation. The depopulation of new territories led to the disappearance of many dioceses and the birth of others in recently evangelized territories.
Papal Mission and the Frankish Kingdom
2.1 Papal Mission: The mission was in the hands of the Frankish kingdom, led by Charles Martel and Pepin the Short, who became king of the Franks in 751. With the support of the Pope and the Papal States, compensation was given so the Pope could survive independently within a territory.
Charlemagne
2.2 Charlemagne: The apex was reached with the coronation of Charlemagne as Emperor, reviving the Western Roman Empire. His greatest desire was the good order of the Church, and he implemented a Christian policy.
Monasticism and Evangelization
2.3 Monasticism and the Evangelization of Europe: The Church favored monasticism, an institution where men and women sought holiness through a life that was not common, embracing poverty, chastity, and obedience to a superior. Key figures include St. Pachomius and St. Basil the Great in the East, and St. Benedict (480-547) in the West. Irish monasticism was joined in Spain by St. Patrick, St. Fructuosus, and St. Isidore. Monasteries undertook a great task of evangelization: the Benedictines evangelized Britannia and Germania, and the Irish monks evangelized Scotland, Switzerland, and Lombardy.
Western and Eastern Europe
3. Western and Eastern Europe: The headquarters in Constantinople survived, and imperial stability was maintained. The imperial garrisons allowed for ecumenical councils, supported by papal legates. In the 6th century, Justinian embellished Constantinople with magnificent temples, including the Basilica of Saint Sophia, replacing the earlier Basilica of Holy Peace. The Byzantine Empire suffered attacks from Islamic peoples in the 7th century. The brothers Cyril and Methodius, authors of the Cyrillic alphabet, translated the Bible into Slavonic. Their missionaries reached Kiev, and Prince Vladimir converted to Catholicism in 987.
The Islamic Invasion
3.2 The Islamic Invasion: Islam expanded quickly, seizing Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Sicily, and southern Italy between 634 and 642. They crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 and conquered almost all of Hispania. Charles Martel stopped them in France. They imposed a religious tax on Christians, encouraging conversion to Islam, and converted temples into mosques.
Germanic and Byzantine Art
4. Germanic and Byzantine Art:
- Germanic Art: Lacked a unified artistic tradition. Expressions were very heterogeneous: Visigothic, Merovingian, Lombard, etc. The main artistic interests were in movable objects associated with prestige, such as goldsmithing. The figure of Christ in Majesty predominated, representing the Lordship or divinity of Jesus.
- Byzantine Art: While the West was in decline, the East experienced a Golden Age under Justinian, lasting 1000 years. Great temples were built, including the Basilica of Saint Sophia in Constantinople, and the churches of San Apollinare and San Vitale in Ravenna.