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This Section: A.D. 350 to 794 Christianity Caledonia A.D.400-600 Caledonia A.D.600-800 The next Section: Viking Raiders Turmoil and Trouble The Alban Kings Tanistry More Strife MacBeth Reformation of the Church History Main Page Timeline Beginning to A.D. 350 A.D. 794 to 1260 A.D. 1260 to Main Home Page |
Christianity comes to Scotland During the fourth century, Christianity became much more widely accepted amongst the Latinised Britons. Missionary zeal took some enterprising (in some people's eyes, foolhardy) messengers into the land of the savage and native pagan tribes of Pictland.
It was mainly from South Cumbria (as it is today) that the main evangelising Saint emerged. St Ninian was to establish the first Christian Church at Whithorn in A.D. 397 and St Patrick (whose first acquaintance with Ireland was in fact as a kidnapped slave) who returned in A.D. 432 to complete the conversion to Christianity.
St Ninian's success is much more difficult to assess than St Patrick. It is commonly believed that he travelled widely through the country, but some academics believe that his name was given to mission houses of which he had no direct input. Similar to the much later St Columba, he was reputed to be of noble birth, which gave him an immediate advantage with the aristocratically minded Picts. However, whilst this may have given him an advantage, he was also up against the Pictish Kings whose main interest appeared to be the treasures left within the old Roman province of Britannia.
It would be fair to state that, whilst Christianity came to Pictland in these times it struggled to find a home. Pictland remain resolutely Pagan with only a few pockets of Christianity to be found. |
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