Priests

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Priest were men who were ordained in a special sacrament. One who was ordained was an aide to a Bishop. They were armed with spiritual powers and authority to administer most of the Seven Sacraments.

Most could:

They would also teach and give counsel.

Village or group of villages would have its own pastor. A town would have several parishes and several priest per parish while Large cities many more parishes and hundreds of clergy.

All bishops and Pope had to be a Priest.

During time of plague, priests were required to visit each parishioner. They were also required to give Extreme Uncction or Last Rites. Proper preparation for death included

  • last confession and communion
  • anointing with holy oil
  • special prayers at bedside

Due to their duties, Priests exposed themselves to plague several times a day. Some used extra measures to decrease their own sickness, including:

  • hearing confession through a flame to purify the victim's breath
  • using a long spatula to sever communion
  • doing either one outside a window

Also served in pest houses and hospitals, as celebrants at funeral masses, at the graveside while these services were allowed

In order to replace their numbers, Bishops would ordained younger, less experienced and less well-educated men. New and well established chaplains and priests were privately hired for better pay to do pray and do mass