‘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...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
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Published: |
Cambridge Univ. Press
2010
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In: |
The journal of ecclesiastical history
Year: 2010, Volume: 61, Issue: 1, Pages: 18-39 |
Online Access: |
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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. |
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ISSN: | 1469-7637 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: The journal of ecclesiastical history
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/S0022046909991357 |