Most writings on church history have been concerned mainly with church hierarchy, and with theology, liturgy and canon law. This book looks at the church ''from below,'' from the lowest stratum of its organization--the parish--in which the church building is seen as the parishioners' handiwork, and as a reflection of local popular culture. The book discusses in turn the origin and development of parishes, their function, and the church fabric that embodied the aspirations of parishioners.
