Always been a Christian country?

'In the 1st Century AD, Britain had its own set of religious icons: Pagan gods of the earth and Roman gods of the sky
Christianity was just one cult amongst many, but unlike the cults of Rome, Christianity demanded exclusive allegiance from its followers.

A single religion with a single God appealed to the Roman Emperor Constantine. He saw that Christianity could be harnessed to unite his Empire and achieve military success. From 313 AD onwards, Christian worship was tolerated within the Roman Empire.

During the 4th Century, British Christianity became more visible but it had not yet won over the hearts and minds of the population. Pagan beliefs still abounded and Christianity was a minority faith

The medieval period in Britain is really a story of how Christianity came to dominate the lives of the ordinary people, both at home and on the long and perilous journeys of pilgrimage.

But it would be wrong to think of medieval Christians as devout church-goers who flocked to church every Sunday. Professor Ronald Hutton of Bristol University suggests that on average people would go to church just a few times a year, when there was a real spectacle to take part'


from BBC Religion and Ethics page

A little basic knowledge of this country that is my homeland would tell you that the old festivals celebrated here before even the arrival of the Romans were just 'taken over' by the trendy new religious cult of christianity!

Best wishes for the Solstice, may you have light and warmth.