At the heart of medieval European society was, above all, Christianity, specifically the Catholic Church.
The center of community was the church congregation.
The most authoritative intellectuals in various regions were priests.
And naturally, the most important focal point of the local community was...
The cathedral.
At the cathedral, they celebrate the birth of a person and perform the sacrament of baptism so that person can establish themselves as a Christian.
Next, in a traditional Catholic cathedral, they celebrate a person's coming of age with the sacrament of confirmation.
And in everyday life, the cathedral is where people participate in the faith community by attending Mass every week.
It's also where two people are officially recognized as forming the most basic faith community, a "family," through the sacrament of marriage, and where funerals are held when someone dies.
Thus, a person's life begins and ends at the cathedral.
