Mass of St. Gregory 15th century

This is an anonymous illumination on vellum of the Mass of Saint Gregory, likely made in France around 1300. The image shows Saint Gregory celebrating mass when Christ appears to him as the Man of Sorrows on the altar, as if to confirm the miracle of transubstantiation. The proliferation of images like this one coincided with the development of a new emphasis on the Eucharist. The Church encouraged lay people to witness the elevation of the host, but it also attempted to prevent them from touching consecrated objects. This created an increased appetite for images that provided a kind of visual access to holy objects. This page comes from a Book of Hours, a prayer book for lay people. These books were expensive, and their production depended on the workshop system that had developed in European cities since the twelfth century. Historians can use these books to understand better the nature of medieval piety, the book trade, and the rise of literacy.