They were very powerful and got their orders directly from Rome. If someone did not like the decision of a Bishop, they could appeal to the Archbishop. If they did not like what the Archbishop decided, they could then appeal to the Pope. Often the Archbishop became the right-hand man of the local king or ruler, for without the permission of the Catholic Church, rulers were fearful of ending up in Hell for making the wrong move. As you can see, the Catholic Church was the main political power as well as being responsible for everyone’s spiritual life.
Bishops oversaw the parish priests, and it was the priests who actually spread the Word of God to the people. The local priest ran the local church. The priests administered the sacraments and taught parishioners the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and all the important aspects of their faith. Some people thought it was bad luck to run into a priest first thing in the morning. Every town or village had a parish priest, and a town’s church was always the largest, best-built and most ornate building.
The Role of the Bishop
The Bishop ruled over all the priests, monks and nuns in the bishopric or diocese. The Bishop held a court at which all religious matters were decided, and only such a court could try another churchman for a crime. People were regularly fined for such misbehavior as refusing to go to church or gambling in the churchyard. Even disputes over marriage contracts and wills were decided by the Bishop, because, after all, only the Church was allowed to perform marriages and funeral rites. Excommunication was a real fear, because it carried the threat of being turned away by God and society, not only in this life, but in the next as well. It meant that one could not marry or have a funeral, and that one was going to Hell.
Food For Thought
Every city, county or state has an Archbishop. Do some research and find out who is the archbishop where you live. What are the differences of power that archbishops hold today?
