‘High Solemn Ceremonies’: The Funerary Practice of the Late Medieval English Higher Clergy

Medieval funerals combined the accumulation of merit for the soul of the deceased with social display. During the late medieval period funerary practice became more elaborate, formalised and expensive, a reflection of its eschatological and social importance. An extended funeral lasting several week...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lepine, David (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press 2010
In: The journal of ecclesiastical history
Year: 2010, Volume: 61, Issue: 1, Pages: 18-39
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Summary:Medieval funerals combined the accumulation of merit for the soul of the deceased with social display. During the late medieval period funerary practice became more elaborate, formalised and expensive, a reflection of its eschatological and social importance. An extended funeral lasting several weeks, comprising a vigil, procession, liveried mourners, a hearse, heraldic elements, almsgiving and a feast, developed. Several of these elements were repeated a week, a month and a year after death. The late medieval higher clergy shared the same funeral culture as the wealthy laity but with significant differences, particularly greater liturgical sophistication and more generous charity.
ISSN:1469-7637
Contains:Enthalten in: The journal of ecclesiastical history
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0022046909991357