Author Archives: clarevmerry

#6 Popular Catholicism of the Middle Ages

Between about 1350 and 1450 people in England ceased to think of themselves as being Norman or Saxon, and became English.  Up until the Hundred Years War which ended in 1453 the ruling class were speaking Norman French, but when the French became the enemy, they started speaking Middle English. Joan of Arc had been calledContinue reading “#6 Popular Catholicism of the Middle Ages”

#5 Roman Catholic Church of the Normans

Alongside building castles and keeps for security, the Normans built stone cathedrals, churches and abbeys.  Many date from the 12th century.  The Normans brought the Roman Catholic Church with clergy from Normandy to England.  Saints were venerated on many alters around cathedrals and there were shrines with relics in crypts.  Stained glass windows told the storiesContinue reading “#5 Roman Catholic Church of the Normans”

#4 Church of the Saxons

The Saxons from Saxony in Germany invaded Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex in 446 AD.  They took the south coast of England and started to push the Ancient Britons and Celts westwards into Cornwall and Wales.  As this happened, the Saxons founded the Kingdom of Mercia in the Midlands. The Angles, a Germanic tribe akinContinue reading “#4 Church of the Saxons”

#3 Celtic Church

The patron saints of Ireland are Saint Patrick, Saint Brigid and Saint Columba.  The life of St Patrick appeared in the last section as he was a Roman citizen.  Saint Brigid will be discussed later under the heading: Cult of Saints.  It was Saint Columba, a Gaelic Christian who really set up the Celtic ChurchContinue reading “#3 Celtic Church”

#2 One of the 70 came to Britain

The mission of Jesus Christ lasted three years.  One of the first things that Jesus did was call twelve disciples to live and travel with him.  The gospels of Matthew chapter 10 and Luke chapter 9 describe the sending out of the twelve disciples to towns in Judea.  In addition to this, later on, JesusContinue reading “#2 One of the 70 came to Britain”

#1 The History of Christianity in Britain

Introduction The British Isles was one of the earliest places to be evangelized.  The Ancient Britons, who were the original inhabitants historically of Britain, were first evangelized by missionaries from Judea in the 1st century AD. Britain has a 2000 year history of Christianity incorporating the Brittonic-speaking church, the Celtic Church and the Saxon church whichContinue reading “#1 The History of Christianity in Britain”

#12 Summary of Star of Bethlehem Article

It is known that it was decided by the Church to celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ, in December to replace the Pagan festival of the winter soltice popular in Europe. It was thought mistakenly that the soltice occurred on the 25th December rather than on the 21st December so this date was chosen. ActualContinue reading “#12 Summary of Star of Bethlehem Article”

#10 Conclusion to Star of Bethlehem article

The three wise men followed an actual astronomical phenomenon that appeared in the east.  It led them from Persia to Judea.  The phenomenon travelling across the sky was a comet probably travelling southwards. As stated in the birth narrative of the gospel of Matthew, the star, in the line of sight of the wise menContinue reading “#10 Conclusion to Star of Bethlehem article”