What Role Did The Catholic Church Play In Europe During The Middle Ages

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Christianity and the Catholic Church played a major role in Europe during the Middle Ages. The local church was the centre of town life. People attended weekly ceremonies. They were married, confirmed, and buried at the church. The church even confirmed kings on their throne giving them the divine right to rule.

Structure of the Church The leader of the Catholic Church was the pope. Right below the pope were powerful men called cardinals. Next were bishops and abbots. Even bishops held a lot of power on the local level and often served on the council of the king.

Gothic Architecture Around the 12th century, cathedrals began to be built with a new style of architecture called Gothic architecture. With this style, the weight of the vaulted