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During this period of expansion, Christian missionaries often came to an accommodation with ancient
ways, and incorporated the rituals of native pagan gods into their tradition. As a result, many pagan
stories, legends and saints were incorporated into Christian mythology. St George and the Dragon, the
Holy Grail quest and so on are all transcriptions of Celtic and pre-Celtic legends.
Similarly, churches were built on sites of pagan importance - in England they can be along ley lines,
where ancient and seemingly Christian sites are linked (Glastonbury Tor for example is surmounted by a
chapel.)
Pagan festivals, both Briton and Roman, were also combined with Christianity to ease the conversion
process. The Roman Saturnalia and Celtic Yule, the Birth of Apollo and the Festival of Mithra became
our Midwinter festival of Christmas. Samhain became the Eve of All Souls Day (Hallows' Eve or
Halloween), the Spring Renewal festival (Ostara) became Easter, and so on throughout the Pagan
calendar.
The Burning Times
For a time fusion of old ways was tolerated. Some 'gods' and natural spirits were made into saints that
could be worshipped, whilst the Church consolidated its power. Afterwards, those who worshipped the
old ways were persecuted brutally, cast out to the woods and secret places. "Hedge witches" were so
called because they were taught behind hedges, in secrecy away from prying eyes.
With most of Europe fully absorbed into 'Christendom', the Church was in a position to begin to
eradicate all outstanding traces of 'heathen' practices. Throughout Europe many people still met secretly
in wooded glades, or followed the old rituals to bless the crops and encourage their return, only loosely
covered up by a veil of Christianity - if at all.
For a time there had existed a distinction between "white" witchcraft - practiced by village healers, the
"cunning" men and women, and "black" magic, used to kill and destroy. By the 13th century this
distinction was confused, and all such Craft was outlawed as heresy.
By this time the Church had declared all Gods except their One True God to be evil - renaming them as
demons led by the Horned One. The very image of the old pagan Horned God (e.g. Pan in Greek
mythology, Herne in Briton etc.) became the Devil, and hence all those who followed the old ways were
heretics and evil Devil-Worshippers.
Between the 13th and 15th centuries, the church in Europe instigated the Inquisition (1233 under Pope
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