One of the most enduring myths about the Middle Ages is that the period was not clean. The conditions of the time supposedly did not allow for personal hygiene and sanitation. Most people assume that cleanliness was, at best, reserved for a privileged few. History does not support this distorted vision. In fact, The Wall … Read more
History is Written by the Victors An old adage states: “History is written by the victors.”1 This holds true concerning modern descriptions of the Middle Ages. For centuries, Revolutionary writers have striven to misrepresent every aspect of medieval Christendom. They have been so successful that accurate descriptions of those times are nearly unrecognizable from what … Read more
For nearly five hundred years, scholars and historians have referred to anything backward and primitive as coming from the “Dark Ages.” The term was created to refer to medieval times, which some say were mired in darkness and backwardness. Typical of this misconception is the 2020 introduction of the book: World After Liberalism: Philosophers of … Read more
Saint Gregory the Great lived in the sixth century. He is considered a founder of the Middle Ages in the West. In the Dictionnaire de la Conversation et de la Lecture by William Duckett, we find the following biographical entry about him: “Saint Gregory was born in Rome the son of the wealthy Senator…. After … Read more
August 25 is the feast of Saint Louis, King of France, a model of Catholic statesmen, who participated in two crusades. Dom Prosper Guéranger (1805-1875), the famous Abbot of Solesmes, makes some excellent commentaries about Saint Louis. From the pen of this great Catholic writer, one of the most important churchmen of his time, we … Read more
“Modern history,” Lord Acton once said, “tells how the last four hundred years have modified the medieval conditions of life and thought.” His sweeping generalization describes the modern-day plight of making sense out of the mess that separates us from Christendom. I can think of no better way out of this mess than to have … Read more
The defense of egalitarianism in the socio-political order is a philosophical error. When attempts are made to apply this egalitarianism to the Church, it becomes a theological error. It is a theological error because Scripture clearly shows that Our Lord instituted a hierarchy to govern His Church. It is additionally erroneous because egalitarian efforts to … Read more
Henry Goodell, president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, described how the medieval monks saved agriculture from decaying. Their accomplishments have left a legacy lasting 1500 years. He explains how they did it in the most unlikely and difficult ways. They searched for distant and inaccessible places to live in solitude. They then drained swamps and … Read more
“Consider the diversity of the Middle Ages: on the one hand, there is the razing of cities, the fall of empires, the struggle between races, the confusion of peoples, violence and lamentations; there is corruption, barbarianism; institutions fall and institutions rise, Men disperse and make nations, whole peoples are led to unknown destinations, and yet … Read more
The Middle Ages, inappropriately called “Dark Ages,” was one of the times of greatest technological development, artistic and institutional creativity in history. This is the opinion of Prof. João Luís César das Neves, Chair of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Economics and Management of the Catholic University in Lisbon, Portugal. Christendom, he explained, … Read more
