Christianization of Europe

The gradual adoption and establishment of Christianity across European societies from late antiquity through the Middle Ages, through conversion, political patronage, institutions, and cultural change.

Constantine the Great: Roman emperor from 306 to 337 who favored Christianity and made it permissible within the empire. His patronage reshaped Christianity's position in the Roman Empire before its spread across medieval Europe.
Edict of Milan: A 313 agreement associated with Constantine and Licinius that granted religious toleration in the Roman Empire. It ended official persecution as policy and enabled Christianity to grow openly within Roman society.
Patrick of Ireland: A fifth-century Christian missionary traditionally credited with helping establish Christianity in Ireland. Irish Christian communities became influential centers of monastic learning and missionary activity.
Medieval Catholic Church: The western Christian institution that developed under papal leadership during the Middle Ages. Its dioceses, monasteries, and clergy became enduring structures across much of western Europe.
Germanic paganism: The diverse pre-Christian religious traditions of Germanic-speaking peoples. Christian missions encountered and sometimes adapted to the beliefs they sought to displace.
Baptism: A Christian rite of initiation involving water and admission to the church. Baptism marked individual and collective entry into Christian communities.
Edict of Thessalonica: A 380 decree by Theodosius I that established Nicene Christianity as the Roman Empire's official religion. Imperial establishment created a powerful institutional foundation for later European Christianization.
Gregory the Great: Pope from 590 to 604 who strengthened church administration and sponsored missions. He sent Augustine's mission to England and promoted a practical model of conversion.
Byzantine Empire: The medieval continuation of the eastern Roman Empire, centered on Constantinople and shaped by Orthodox Christianity. Byzantine institutions and missions spread eastern Christian traditions across southeastern and eastern Europe.
Norse religion: The pre-Christian religious traditions of Norse-speaking peoples, including worship of gods such as Odin and Thor. Its persistence and transformation show the uneven course of Scandinavian conversion.

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