The Artios Home Companion Series Unit 4: The Rise of the Papacy

Teacher Overvie w

GREGORY the Great was one of the popes who helped to establish the Roman Church’s political power. Throughout the Middle Ages he was known as the “Father of Christian Worship” because of his extensive efforts to revise the worship practices of his day.

Reading and Assignments Based on your student’s age and ability, the reading in this unit may be read aloud to the student and journaling and notebook pages may be completed orally. Likewise, other assignments can be done with an appropriate combination of independent and guided study.

In this unit, students will:  Complete one lesson in which they will learn about Gregory the Great.  Define vocabulary words.  Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Leading Ideas An individual’s character will be reflected in his leadership. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. — Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

Saint Gregory, by Francisco de Zurbarán There is power in the spoken word to do evil or to do good. Out of the abundance of the heart the Vocabulary mouth speaks. Lesson 1: — Matthew 12:34 Papal authority monastery The rise and fall of nations and leaders is determined by God. Key People, Places, and The king’s heart is a stream of water Events in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Gregory the Great — Proverbs 21:1

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History Overview and Assignments Gregory the Great

DURING the Lombard invasion of the Roman Empire, Pope Gregory the Great decided to expand the power of popes to be over countries as well as churches, in order to unite Europe and defeat the Lombards.

Pope Gregory I, by José de Ribera

Reading and Assignments

 Read the article: Gregory the Great Lays the Foundation of Papal Power.  Define each vocabulary word in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your notebook.  After reading the article, summarize the story you read by either: ▪ Retelling it out loud to your teacher or parent. OR ▪ Completing an appropriate notebook page. Either way, be sure to include the answers to the discussion questions and an overview of key people, places, dates, and events in your summary.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 4: The Rise of the Papacy Page 41 Vocabulary Key People, Places, and Events papal Gregory the Great authority monastery

Adapted for Elementary School from the book: The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall Gregory the Great Lays the Foundation of Papal Power

The Lombards invaded Italy after Gregory was a very intelligent man. He Justinian died. They were fierce people who had been worldly in his younger days. He loved fighting and killing people. They did had been a prefect (a chief officer or not love art. They did not love learning. regional governor) of Rome as a young man. They only loved bloodshed. He enjoyed the power this gave him. He Their king was named Albion. He and wore robes of purple. He was important. But his army took over the north of Italy. He he felt the call of religion and ended his made Pavia his capital. He called himself great career. He gave all of his money to Lord of Italy. Soon Albion was killed, convents and monasteries. He became a murdered by his own people. His second in monk. command was also killed. There were no kings for ten years. Thirty-six barbarian dukes ruled their own parts of the land. Soon the Lombards held most of Italy. It was still part of the Eastern Empire. In Ravenna there was an exarch who ruled in the name of the Emperor. But he could not do much about the Lombards. He could hardly defend his own city. In the Byzantine Empire, an exarch was a governor with extended authority over a province at some distance from the capital, Constantinople. The Roman people were unhappy. They tried to contact Constantinople. They tried many times. They asked the emperors to help them, but nobody came. The emperors Pope Gregorius I dictating the gregorian chants were busy fighting their own wars. Italy was far away. It was not as important. Gregory’s great business skills still In the year 590 Gregory I became pope. shone, through. He soon became an abbot. He did not want to be pope. He did not want Later he was chosen to be pope. As pope he to be pope for the Lombards. was a great pastor and statesman. He loved

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 4: The Rise of the Papacy Page 42 Rome. He was proud of Rome. He believed Gregory worked and worked. He did not Rome was the best city in the world. get much rest. But he was in pain as he did Gregory thought that the bishop of Rome all of this, for he was very sick. Sometimes should be head of the Church. He insisted he had to stay in bed for weeks at a time. He on it. This was the foundation for the often wished for death instead of the pain he absolute spiritual power that popes would suffered. later have. It was a stable time for Italy. There were battles here and there, but mostly Italy was The Political Power of the Papacy peaceful. The Lombards remained powerful Gregory also set the pattern for the in Italy. They stayed strong for two hundred Pope’s earthly power. He did not seek out years. Even today Italy has a region named this role. It was something he had to do. The Lombardy. Lombards caused Rome a lot of trouble, and Gregory’s life came to an end, although he tried to seek help. He was ignored by the he was not an old man. But he was worn out exarch of Ravenna and the Emperor. He by his years of pain and hard work. He left a saw that he had to do something on his own. mark on the world. He lifted the Roman He had to claim ultimate power in Rome, for Church to a very high position. He laid the if he did not the Lombards would. So he foundation for the future power of the took the government into his own hands. He popes. His influence would reach far into led wars against the Lombards. He gave the future. orders to generals. He chose governors. He declared that he ranked higher than the exarch of Ravenna. He also made peace with one of the Lombard chiefs. The Emperor Maurice was angry about Gregory’s claims. He called Gregory a fool. Maurice did nothing to help Italy. But he did not want to accept Gregory’s power. It challenged his own power too much. He did not accept the peace that Gregory made with the Lombards. It took him many years to admit that the Lombards were there to stay. He finally signed a general peace. Peace brought more work to Gregory. He had more work in the Church. He also had more work in the government. He was able to send messengers safely through Italy and used them to regulate other bishops. He made his authority known and helped settle land disputes. He also sent a prior named Augustine to England, to convert the Angles Italy in the time of the Lombards to Christianity.

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