Late Medieval Worship

Late Medieval worship is characterized by emphasis on clergy and orthopraxy.  The worship space was divided between clergy, choir, and laity, emphasizing the hierarchy between people and between people and God.  The space itself was ornate and beautiful, an offering itself to God, and often centered around a relic.  People’s piety was characterized by these hierarchical divisions; laity often could not hear or participate in liturgy (which was in Latin) and used worship time for personal prayer; they took part in ocular communion and “seeing God,” and clergy focused on precise ritual in both words and gesture.