St. Benedict: patron saint of students

Hi everyone,

I hope you enjoyed the first lecture and tutorial and feel ready to face the material of week 2 focussing on the forms of Christian life in the Early Medieval World. One of the figures we'll be looking at is St Benedict of Nursia.

Saint Benedict: detail from a fresco by Fra Angelico

Saint Benedict (c.480-547) was a Christian saint and revered as the patron saint of students. He was particularly important in the foundation of monasteries and one of his enduring legacies is the Monte Cassino Abbey in the mountains of Southern Italy.

The restored Monte Cassino Abbey

THE QUESTION:

From the reading for this week, Cruz and Gerberding propose that "living alone in constant prayer and contemplation is seen as the best way to renounce the world, battle its temptations, and purify oneself for God." (p.124). For many reasons this solitary life was not always practical and as a result monasteries were formed, though the aim always was, in some way, to be living alone. How does Benedict's Rule enable monks to "live alone together"?

More unit readers have been ordered for the bookshop

Apparently the book shop has run out of course guides for ATS 1316.

Fear not! More have been ordered, and the readings for next week can all be accessed online.

You should prepare the essential readings labelled "Week 2" (in the Unit Guide, or in your purple book) for next Tuesday. These are:

1. The Benedictine Rule (http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/rul-benedict.asp)
2. A Chapter in the book called "Medieval Worlds" by Moran Cruz and Gerberding entitled "The Early Medieval Church and the West, 500-800". (Available as a digital copy by following the relevant links on the Library Readings List to be found on the right hand panel.)

The Week 2 tute blog will go up later today.

Thanks everyone!

Welcome to Medieval Europe Blog: Tutorial Six

Welcome everyone!

My name is Carol and I am your tutor for Medieval Europe (ATS1316). It's a great subject and I know you'll enjoy exploring medieval history as much as I do.

Though you'll be spending quite a bit of your time learning online, I thought I'd remind you of the physical nature of the book in medieval Europe with a couple of images:

jewelled cover of the Codex Aureus, c 870

illuminated letter enclosing musical angels

The Codex Aureus is a Carolingian Gospel book and originated in the St Emmeram Abbey of Regensburg in Bavaria (modern Southern Germany). [See: Codex Aureus ]. In the image on the right, if you look carefully you'll see ranks of angels, many of whom are playing musical instruments. See if you can find a small lap organetto, the bowed string rebec and a plucked lute (there are probably others as well). This image is the front page of a site which I think you might be interested in and you'll find that on the right - From Manuscript to Print.

While we're talking about musical instruments here's a photograph of me:

Acord performance : The Traveller : Carol with harp, rebec and organ

Looking forward to working with you this semester - Cheers, Carol.