ABSTRACT
In the dying years of Rome, the Christian hierarchy modeled their organization on the Imperial administration, where groups of city governments formed provinces and groups of provinces formed vicariates. Dioceses were grouped together to form church provinces presided over by archbishops, and provinces were grouped under the direction of metropolitan archbishops, or primates. The church's magic power was also able to persuade people that if they visited holy shrines they would be granted numinous contact with the relics of Saints. These faithful travelers also acted as messengers for the church, whose lines of communication were kept open at most times throughout this entire period. It was easy for the church, primarily through its monastic communities and bishops, to control an illiterate world. Churches had been established in all major areas of settlement throughout northern Europe, and this made possible the growth of a parish system.
