In the Middle Ages many people, both religious and lay faithful, started to think about the role of the person of Jesus in their daily lives. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries many new monasteries and religious orders were established, like the Cistercians, Franciscans and Dominicans.
In the thirteenth century, the study of the faith underwent a revival thanks to well-argued theological debates (Scholasticism). In this intellectual environment, many universities were founded. Also lay movements were founded for people who wanted to lead a life of prayer while living “in the world”.
