CHY 4U1 – Image Analysis
The Counter-Reformation – The Council of Trent
Discussing the illustration:
1. At first, the Catholic Church was able to do little to stop Luther and the other leaders of
the Protestant Reformation. But in 1545, the Church began to try to stop him and to
strengthen the Catholic Church. From this drawing and your knowledge of the period in
history, can you explain what big step the Catholic Church took?
2. This illustration of the Council of Trent should give you an idea of what the main meetings
of the entire Council of Trent looked like. In what ways does this illustration help you to
see what the Catholic Church as an organization was like?
3. The Council of Trent actually met at three different times between 1545 and 1563.
Historians usually say the work done by this Council was the start of the “Catholic
Counter-Reformation”. Why do you suppose that term is used for what the Council of
Trent tried to do?