Medieval sermons and audience appeal after theBlackDeath

Abstract

AbstractMedieval sermons were the mass media of the 14th and 15th centuries. A sermon for St. Winifred from John Mirk'sFestial, the most popular collection of medieval sermons in late medieval England, showcases not only the popularity of medieval sermons but also the components basic to sermon literature throughout medieval Europe. The varying inclusion and mostly exclusion of the Winifred sermon from extantFestialmanuscripts, along with its reliance on colorful sermon stories (exempla), underscore a growing concern in medieval sermons for audience appeal. Moreover, a comparison of the Winifred sermon in twoFestialmanuscripts suggests that an emphasis on the pastoral program in sermons, especially during the century following the Black Death, coincided with increased concern in sermons to appeal to a female audience. St. Winifred's sermon was certainly a teaching text for medieval Christians, but—because it exposes the appeal of medieval sermons more broadly and suggests new directions for study—St. Winifred's sermon is also a teaching text for scholars today.