SC - list newbie/Seasonal food.

[LYN M PARKINSON]

Can anyone confirm or deny the existence of 'offerings' during church in
medieval times? I'm wondering whether, given the system of tithing,
whether such offerings would have been made in church time at all or
simply transferred in the course of regular business.

Yes, although the tithes of food generally didn't arrive at church every
week as dollar bills do, today.  I've been to a tithe barn that is within
a short walk of my son's parents-in-law's home in a suburb of Stuttgart. 
The Toll Booth is also near by.  Both buildings are made of roughly
shaped granite blocks, with slate roofs, as fire was a danger.  The stone
may also have helped to discourage rats more than wood would have done.  

Generally, the tithes came into the church in the fall, or late summer,
at Michaelmass, which I believe is in September.  And you'd better
believe the priests knew exactly what each parishioner had made, grown,
etc.  This was the livlihood of the priests and laybrothers.  In some
cases, the village priests would need to tithe to their bishop, and he to
his archbishop, etc.

I don't think the handwashing had anything to do with sloppy food
offerings, though.  The priests and/or the clerks set up a table and
bench outside the tithe barn and wrote down the accounts as people
brought them to the barn.  Certain festivals in some places had symbolic
sheaves of wheat or baskets of fruit, for instance, brought for a
blessing.  Eggs were taken to be blessed at Easter, but I don't think
there was generally food in church.
Regards,

Allison

allilyn at juno.com

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