Early Elizabethan England (1558-1588): Catholics

Catholics are a form a Christianity and has been the form of Christian belief that has existed the longest. It has been the single belief in much of Europe until the 1500s. Catholicism is heavy on ritual in Church and places a heavy emphasis of Church leadership.

Catholics are lead by the Pope who is in charge the entire Church and is God’s representative on earth. Beneath the pope comes the Cardinals who are in charge of the Church in each country and then beneath them are Bishops in charge of a diocese. Each parish has its own parish priest.

Catholic services are known as Mass and were done in Latin. The Bible was also written in Latin. Click here to hear a Latin Mass. Catholics also believe that sins can be forgiven by the Church through the sacrament of confession. Confession is one of the seven sacraments that exist in the Catholic Church. During the Mass, the bread and wine physically become the body and blood of Jesus in the miracle of transubstantiation.

Finally, Churches should be beautifully decorated in bright and bold colours. Priests should wear special clothes called vestments and priests are also forbidden to marry.