Churches in the landscape
Dominique Iogna-Prat
The Cluniac monk Rodulfus Glaber (d. 1047) owes his renown as a historian to near-obsessive interest in all of the remarkable events that occurred around turn first millennium after birth and passion Christ. He recorded various signs unraveling decrepit world: comets; famines; blood falling from sky; apostasy Christians converting Judaism; Norman, Hungarian, Saracen invasions; destruction Church Holy Sepulcher Jerusalem; waves heretics. Conversely, also found announcing new covenant between God faithful people – traces veritable renewal world. It is worth noting proofs this rebirth evinced strong connection finding relics; peace councils creation violence-free zones; construction “white mantle churches”; pilgrimages holy sites; expansion Christendom East with conversion Stephen, king Hungarians, which opened up route Jerusalem by land. As symbol world casting off “rags its old age,” (or reconstruction) churches throughout third year approached heralded, Glaber’s view, vast program monastic reform. Indeed, general observation, provided examples buildings builders, especially at Cluny. In order highlight world-sanctifying activity currently under way thanks reform, he then added an account discoveries everywhere saints’ relics, though “the white churches” age monasticism was offering Christianity’s ancient martyrs reliquary they might last “unveil themselves gaze faithful.”
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