In front of the church door

The parish church was the central point of the local community. People gathered there to listen to the priest preach the word of God and to mark weekends, holidays, or important events in life. In the churchyard and under the floorboards inside the church, those who had passed away rested in anticipation of the Resurrection and Last Judgement.

The church and the church hill were also social gathering places where neighbours and friends met away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Moreover, the church ground was a judicial arena where important announcements were made. In many cases, charters show that announcements were made at the church so that there would be witnesses. The Laws of the Land also mention a parish church assembly in one instance. We may assume that this was the smallest and most local thing assembly aimed at resolving small local problems – in this case, livestock knocking down fences. The church was also a place for legitimizations. This was a formal recognition of an illegitimate child, who was thence accepted as a family member and inheritor. According to the Laws of the Land, this solemn ceremony was to be performed in front of the church door. There were good reasons for this.

The church door symbolized the door to the Kingdom of God. The main doors of medieval churches had strong, often very decorated iron fittings. The door rings and locks were often elaborate. Portals were grand and richly decorated, whether carved in stone or in wood. Particularly beautiful are the portals of stave churches, where monsters, mythical beasts, legendary heroes, and plant vines interlace. Bearing witness and taking an oath in front of the church door were not taken lightly. When treading through the portal into the church, one stood on holy ground – a humble sinner before the eternal Saviour on the cross.