For the people of the late Middle Ages, there were no other secular ways of counting time. The liturgical calendar also limited and affected everyone: for example, no one could get married during the four weeks of Advent. Having municipal rules based on religion united the various parishes in England. Ceremonies and festivals dedicated to certain biblical characters or biblical events brought the community together regardless of anyone's background, position, or wealth. Especially the Sunday mass was a central service of the church and the priest who led the mass was considered sacred. Sunday mass brought together huge numbers of people. This type of unity within the church community was vital. Furthermore, there were societies that provided support to people going through difficult times and also raised funds to help the living and the dead. These societies were responsible for its members getting along with each other and not bringing disrepute with their actions. These societies are a good example of the fact that, although the church itself was important to the community, they did not depend solely on its actions. The community itself took care of this