People believed they were born with original sin and every time they disobeyed God's laws they would be condemned to the eternal fire of hell. However, they could be saved from hell by doing good works and by earning indulgences - their time in purgatory could be shortened by their good works and also by others' prayers for them.
The priest would hear confessions and would forgive the sins which they had committed, may include lying, stealing, envy, jealousy, or adultery. Priest may give penance - a punishment for sins, which may include saying prayers using rosary beads for a small sin or a pilgrimage to the shrine of a saint for a major sin.
Main function of priests was to say Mass, which were said in church a number of times a day. The high point of Mass was when the priest prayed over the bread and wine and transubstantiation occurred. Only the priest was able to drink the blood, but on Easter Sunday the parishioners ate the body of Christ, in the form of a wafer known as the host.
He would also say Masses for the dead in chapels. Nobility and gentry had own chapels in a church. Poor people who couldn't afford to build their own chapels and pay for a priest would belong to a chantry guild.
For the less educated peasants and townspeople, it was sometimes difficult for a distinction between religious ritual and belief, as dictated by the Church, and superstition and the supernatural, as spread by gossip and fear, to be maintained.

	Created by lottelou96 over 11 years ago

A-Level History (English Reformation) Note on Religious doctrine and practice, created by lottelou96 on 21/04/2013.