Celtic Christianity facts for kids

A Celtic Cross, a symbol for the Celtic Christian religion

Celtic Christianity was a special way of practicing Christianity that started in Ireland around the 4th century. Before Christianity, the Celts had their own religion with many gods, similar to the Romans. This form of Christianity became very important and spiritual during the 5th and 6th centuries.

How Christianity Came to Ireland

Roman armies never invaded Ireland. Because of this, Roman culture and its style of Christianity didn't have much impact there at first. The Celts had a group of educated people called Druids. They were known for being smart and curious. They were open to new ideas, including Christianity. Even the ancient Greeks thought the Druids were great philosophers. Some legends say that Pythagoras, a famous Greek thinker, even studied with them.

Ireland is unique because no one was killed for becoming Christian there. This led Irish Christians to create a special kind of "martyrdom." This was called "White Martyrdom," where monks lived very strict and simple lives. They were seen as "living martyrs." Christian worship reached Ireland around 400 AD. At this time, Ireland was still a Celtic nation. The Roman Church often called such places "pagan."

The Irish didn't give up their Celtic culture when they became Christian. Instead, Christianity became a part of their culture. The Celtic cross shows this mix. Celtic thinking was often about cycles, like the seasons and life cycles in nature. The Celtic cross has a Christian cross and a circle. The circle represents the Celtic view of the world.

Celtic Christianity's Influence

Roman Christianity was mostly based in cities. Many of the letters written by Saint Paul in the New Testament were to new churches in Roman cities. The Roman word for Celts was Galli. Paul's letter to the Galatians was written to a Celtic group in what is now Turkey.

For a long time, the Roman church didn't pay much attention to people living in the countryside. They called them "Paganus," which meant "country dweller." So, it wasn't Roman missionaries who brought Christianity to most of Europe. It was monks from Ireland. These monks were comfortable with the nature-loving ways of the country people. They traveled to Europe and taught them Celtic Christianity.

Even though Rome later disagreed with Celtic Christianity, like at the Synod of Whitby in 664 AD, it was the main form of Christianity for many years. Most modern Christians don't know this. This is because once Rome either converted, stopped, or killed those who followed what they saw as a different belief, they removed many records of Celtic Christianity from European libraries. Only in Irish libraries did these records remain, and they have only been translated since Ireland became independent in the 1900s.

Common Stories and Legends

There are many legends about Celtic Christianity. One legend says that Celtic Christianity in Britain was started by St. Joseph of Arimathea. Another legend says that King Arthur is buried at his old abbey. According to the story, Joseph was a tin merchant who often visited the tin mines in Roman Britain. The legend also says he might have taken his nephew, Jesus, with him on some of these trips. Later, Joseph of Arimathea is said to have become the first guardian of the Holy Grail.

Perhaps the most famous story about Celtic Christianity is that Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland. However, Christianity was already present in Ireland before Patrick began his work there.

Images for kids

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  A Celtic Cross in Knock, Ireland

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  Modern icon of Aristobulus of Britannia

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  Amphibalus baptizing converts, from The Life of St. Alban, written and illustrated by Matthew Paris († 1259)

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  The discovery of St. Alban's bones, illustrated in The Life of St. Alban

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  Columba at the gate of Bridei I's fortress, book illustration by Joseph Ratcliffe Skelton (1906)

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  A portrait of Augustine of Canterbury from an 8th-century manuscript of Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum

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  Saint Ninian as intercessor from Book of Hours of the Virgin and Saint Ninian (15th century)

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  St. Patrick

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  The Roman tonsure, in the shape of a crown, differing from the Irish tradition, which is unclear but involved shaving the hair from ear to ear in some fashion

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  Excerpt from the Martyrology of Oengus

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  Saint John, evangelist portrait from the Book of Mulling, Irish, late 8th century

See also

In Spanish: Cristianismo celta para niños