medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>many English parish churches and chapels were
>founded on pagan sites – this notion prevails in the popular mind more
>strongly than in the academic, afaik.
This reference is of course from the letter that Bede cites from Gregory
the Great -
Gregory I, Letter to Abbot Mellitus, Epsitola 76, PL 77: 1215-1216
Intro: Mellitus was about to join St. Augustine of Canterbury
on the mission to England. How to deal with a pagan culture,
and its symbols. Gregory I (590-604) recommends a policy
of acculturation.
****
Tell Augustine that he should be no means destroy the temples of the
gods but rather the idols within those temples. Let him, after he has
purified them with holy water, place altars and relics of the saints
in them. For, if those temples are well built, they should be converted
from the worship of demons to the service of the true God. Thus, seeing
that their places of worship are not destroyed, the people will banish
error from their hearts and come to places familiar and dear to them
in acknowledgement and worship of the true God
Re pagan sites / Christian churches
How about the pagan temple at Goodmanham (as related in Bede) which is
presumed to be the site of the present church - though no proof
also - how about Rudston in Yorkshire with its monolith
From the local website:www.driffield.co.uk/wolds_village_rudston.htm
Rudston is also famous for its Monolith. It is believed to be the tallest
Monolith in England standing 25 feet tall with a similar length believed to
be buried beneath the ground. It is 6 feet wide and 2 feet 3 inches wide at
its base. The top is now covered with a metal cap to protect it from the
elements. It is believed to have been brought from Cayton Bay, situated on
the coast 20 miles away!, for some religious reason. It may have once
supported a cross of some description, which has long since, disappeared.
When it was moved I don't know
In the Channel Islands there have been various reports of large stones /
monoliths being buried under church sites.
Chris Daniell
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