Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- MAPS
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- Glossary of Terms
- Abbrevations
- Dedication
- Introduction
- Section One The Thirteenth Century
- Section Two The Fourteenth Century
- 9 The Mission to China
- 10 The Growing Clamour for Reform
- 11 The Crisis under Pope John XXII
- 12 The Friars and Their Neighbours
- 13 Giovanni Boccaccio, Satire and the Friars
- 14 The Friars' Churches
- 15 Communities of the Friars Minor Conventual
- 16 The Emergence of the Observant Reform in Umbria
- Section Three The Fifteenth Century
- Conclusion
- Select Bibliography
- Index
14 - The Friars' Churches
from Section Two - The Fourteenth Century
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 September 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- MAPS
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- Glossary of Terms
- Abbrevations
- Dedication
- Introduction
- Section One The Thirteenth Century
- Section Two The Fourteenth Century
- 9 The Mission to China
- 10 The Growing Clamour for Reform
- 11 The Crisis under Pope John XXII
- 12 The Friars and Their Neighbours
- 13 Giovanni Boccaccio, Satire and the Friars
- 14 The Friars' Churches
- 15 Communities of the Friars Minor Conventual
- 16 The Emergence of the Observant Reform in Umbria
- Section Three The Fifteenth Century
- Conclusion
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Even the architecture of their churches was influenced by their preaching mission and its success. In cities all over Europe they built large but simple churches with little interior adornment, the naves being little more than great open spaces to accommodate the crowds.
Penn R. SzittyaConstruction
The order's first churches reflected the friars' modest role as new religious in the neighbourhood. As they increased in number, stature and reputation, the friars attracted large numbers to their churches. In some instances, there were three successive churches on a single site, culminating in a vast expansive structure. By the beginning of the fourteenth century the classical mendicant churches were under construction throughout western Europe, especially in the more substantial cities. The completion of the church might take a considerable length of time, sixty years or more. The solemn ceremony of dedication marked the end of the building phase.
The link between the friars' preaching and the enlargement of their churches was made explicit by Albertanus of Brescia in the middle of the thirteenth century. The large nave was the distinctive mark of mendicant architecture, which was designed to maximise space for those attending sermons. The liturgy of the Word went hand in hand with eucharistic piety and at least six altars flanked the high altar of these churches. At a later date side altars appeared in the nave. Contrasting the size of the friars' churches with the parish churches, William Woodford pointed out that the former generally had ten or twelve altars and the latter had two or three.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Franciscans in the Middle Ages , pp. 162 - 170Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2006