He gave large gifts of land and money to the Church and offered tax exemptions and other special legal status to ecclesiastical property and personnel.[51] These gifts and later ones combined to make the Church the largest landowner in the West by the 6th century.[52] Many of these gifts were funded through severe taxation of pagan cults.[51] Some pagan cults were forced to disband for lack of funds; when this happened the Church took over the cult's previous role of caring for the poor.[53] In a reflection of their increased standing in the Empire, clergy began to adopt the dress of the royal household, including the cope.[54]