Christianizing Death

the creation of a ritual process in early medieval Europe

Plot

ReviewFrederick Paxton's careful examination of the rituals surrounding dying and death in the early medieval west, particularly in the Carolingian realm, not only enhances our comprehension of the most formative period in the evolution of the Latin liturgy of death, it casts new light on the wide range of traditions involved in the development of Carolingian culture. -- Celia M. Chazelle, Princeton ― The Journal of ReligionReviewPaxton... has written a deeply absorbing, detailed analysis of the Christian ritualization of death for the period from the early Christian era to the ninth century.... A demanding, challenging work, but worth the effort for readers interested in how Christians have learned to confront healing, death, and incorporation into the next world. -- Choice, June 1991