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151-689: Christianity ( Irish : Críostaíocht ) has been the largest religion in Ireland since the 5th century. After a pagan past of Antiquity , missionaries (most famously including Saint Patrick ) converted the Irish tribes to Christianity in quick order. This produced a great number of saints in the Early Middle Ages , as well as a faith interwoven with Irish identity for centuries since − though less so in recent times. Most Christian churches are organized on an "all-Ireland" basis, including both

302-631: A Jewish Christian sect with Hellenistic influence of Second Temple Judaism . An early Jewish Christian community was founded in Jerusalem under the leadership of the Pillars of the Church , namely James the Just , the brother of Jesus, Peter , and John. Jewish Christianity soon attracted Gentile God-fearers, posing a problem for its Jewish religious outlook , which insisted on close observance of

453-652: A Judaic sect with Hellenistic influence in the Roman province of Judaea . The disciples of Jesus spread their faith around the Eastern Mediterranean area, despite significant persecution . The inclusion of Gentiles led Christianity to slowly separate from Judaism (2nd century). Emperor Constantine I decriminalized Christianity in the Roman Empire by the Edict of Milan (313), later convening

604-598: A General Synod, and with financial management by a Representative Church Body. With disestablishment, the last remnants of tithes were abolished and the Church's representation in the House of Lords also ceased. Catholicism in Ireland is part of the worldwide Catholic Church . The Catholic Church in Ireland serves Catholics in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland under the spiritual leadership of Pope Francis and

755-508: A Missionary. He was not sent by Rome but came in defiance of ecclesiastical law which forbade bishops leaving their diocese. Patrick's 'Declaration' or 'Confession' was an answer to the charges brought against him in England. Patrick died in 461. The Uí Néill dynasty of Armagh got Tireachan and Muirchu to write spurious accounts of Patrick to establish Armagh's claims to the revenues of the churches and monasteries of Ireland. Brehon Law at

906-582: A comprehensible version of the Vita . We can summarise from what is written in Muirchu's prologue to the Vita that it was the Bishop of Sletty, Aedh, who encouraged Muirchú to write, eventually commissioning and sponsoring the writing of the manuscript. Muirchú also informs his readers in the prologue that nobody else had attempted to write a similar kind of text except for his father Cogitosus . The term used

1057-472: A cross , but rose from the dead for the salvation of humankind; and referred to as the gospel , meaning the "good news". The four canonical gospels of Matthew , Mark , Luke and John describe Jesus's life and teachings as preserved in the early Christian tradition, with the Old Testament as the gospels' respected background. Christianity began in the 1st century , after the death of Jesus, as

1208-486: A dynamic way. In Hooker's model, scripture is the primary means of arriving at doctrine; things stated plainly in scripture are accepted as true. Issues that are ambiguous are determined by tradition, which is checked by reason. This may usefully be contrasted with the teachings of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches which list three sources of authority: Sacred Scripture , Sacred Tradition and Magisterium . Reason

1359-549: A fair degree. The beginning of the Vita generally follows along the same lines as Patrick's accounts of his life, but after the scenes where Patrick escapes from Ireland and returns to Britain, it takes a different turn. Muirchú added on to Patrick's outline of his life, stating that the Saint, after he left Britain for the second time, intended to travel to Rome but instead stayed with Germanus in Auxerre for many years, and it

1510-540: A few of which are governed by administrators, the remainder by parish priests. There about 3,000 secular clergy—parish priests, administrators, curates , chaplains, and professors in colleges. There are many Catholic religious institutes , including Augustinians , Capuchins , Carmelites , Fathers of the Holy Ghost , Dominicans , Franciscans , Jesuits , Marists , Order of Charity , Oblates , Passionists , Redemptorists , and Vincentians . The total number of

1661-542: A few scriptures overlapping with the developing orthodox canon, most Gnostic texts and Gnostic gospels were eventually considered heretical and suppressed by mainstream Christians. A gradual splitting off of Gentile Christianity left Jewish Christians continuing to follow the Law of Moses , including practices such as circumcision. By the fifth century, they and the Jewish–Christian gospels would be largely suppressed by

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1812-440: A kind of medieval superhero and saint who could perform miracles and challenge evil forces. Patrick's dedication to converting pagan Ireland is seen through many events in the Vita , and this dedication was no doubt shared by all monastics, Muirchú included. Muirchú's desires for a solely Christian Ireland are compatible with Patrick's and appear to be integrated into his portrayal of the character of Patrick. The second half of

1963-547: A majority of the population in 157 countries and territories . Christianity remains culturally diverse in its Western and Eastern branches , and doctrinally diverse concerning justification and the nature of salvation , ecclesiology , ordination , and Christology . The creeds of various Christian denominations generally hold in common Jesus as the Son of God —the Logos incarnated —who ministered , suffered , and died on

2114-592: A number of markedly liberal High Church, or evangelical parishes have developed in recent decades. It was the second province of the Anglican Communion after the Anglican Church of New Zealand (1857) to adopt, on its 1871 disestablishment, synodical government , and was one of the first provinces to ordain women to the priesthood (1991). The Church of Ireland has two cathedrals in Dublin: within

2265-401: A poisoned cup but is unharmed, shows him to be almost supernatural and above death. The inspiration for this type of event is Biblical, from the end of Mark's gospel, and demonstrates Muirchú's in-depth knowledge of the biblical stories. Patrick is also seen as being able to raise the dead in the Vita, which gives him a miraculous, Christ -like quality. In these events Patrick is portrayed as

2416-405: A rise in the relative Protestant population over the period 1861 to 1991. The counties which retain the highest proportion of Protestants tend to be those which started off with a large proportion. In Northern Ireland, only counties Londonderry, Tyrone and Armagh have experienced a significant loss of relative Protestant population, though at a lesser rate than in the Republic. The Church of Ireland

2567-470: A significant point in the secularization of the constitution made possible by a significant secularization of the people. Today, a large proportion of Irish Christians are thought to be nominally so , for reasons ranging from cultural to apathetic. Catholicism has been declining in the Republic of Ireland. The introduction of Christianity to Ireland dates to sometime before the 5th century, presumably in interactions with Roman Britain. All that can be certain

2718-548: A slave. After escaping and returning to his own people, he began to receive visions of the cry of the Pagan Irish pleading him to come among them. Believing that he had been called by God to mission to the Irish, he entered the monastery of St Martin of Tours . He was subsequently consecrated as a bishop in Rome; after his consecration, he was sent by Pope Celestine (who died on 27 July 432) to Ireland, where he arrived in 432 as

2869-523: A small scale by both Jewish and Roman authorities , with Roman action starting at the time of the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. Examples of early executions under Jewish authority reported in the New Testament include the deaths of Saint Stephen and James, son of Zebedee . The Decian persecution was the first empire-wide conflict, when the edict of Decius in 250 AD required everyone in

3020-492: A system of geographical parishes organised into dioceses. There are twelve of these , each headed by a bishop. The leader of the five southern bishops is the Archbishop of Dublin ; that of the seven northern bishops is the Archbishop of Armagh ; these are styled Primate of Ireland and Primate of All Ireland , respectively, suggesting the ultimate seniority of the latter. Although he has relatively little absolute authority,

3171-528: A translation of the Book of Common Prayer in 1606. An Irish translation of the revised prayer book of 1662 was effected by John Richardson (1664–1747) and published in 1712. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the Church of Ireland or to Presbyterianism, while the Irish-speaking majority remained faithful to Catholicism, which remained by far the majority denomination in Ireland. When Ireland

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3322-525: Is also used by Presbyterians , Methodists , and Congregationalists . This particular creed was developed between the 2nd and 9th centuries. Its central doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the Creator . Each of the doctrines found in this creed can be traced to statements current in the apostolic period . The creed was apparently used as a summary of Christian doctrine for baptismal candidates in

3473-538: Is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion , operating across the island of Ireland and the largest non-Catholic religious body on the island. Like other Episcopal churches, it considers itself to be both Catholic, in that its beliefs and practices are based on a continuous tradition dating back to the early Church, and Reformed , in that it does not accept the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome . When

3624-462: Is not listed as a source of authority or teaching in these churches. The contemporary Church of Ireland, despite having a number of High Church (often described as Anglo-Catholic ) parishes, is generally on the Low Church end of the spectrum of world Anglicanism. Historically, it had little of the difference in churchmanship between parishes characteristic of other Anglican Provinces, although

3775-463: Is not to say with certainty that Muirchú was less educated, because there is a slight possibility that the Book of Armagh did not reproduce the Vita Patricii properly. Latin was almost always the second language of Irish monks unless they came from outside Ireland, so the discrepancies between the three authors could also be contributed to this. Muirchú is also seen to quote books other than

3926-430: Is recorded in the canonical gospels, although infancy gospels were popular in antiquity. In comparison, his adulthood, especially the week before his death, is well documented in the gospels contained within the New Testament , because that part of his life is believed to be most important. The biblical accounts of Jesus's ministry include: his baptism , miracles , preaching, teaching, and deeds. Christians consider

4077-752: Is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will ultimately return to fulfill the rest of the Messianic prophecy , including the resurrection of the dead , the Last Judgment , and the final establishment of the Kingdom of God . According to the canonical gospels of Matthew and Luke , Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary . Little of Jesus's childhood

4228-545: Is that Cogitosus was his “father,” but it is generally agreed upon by scholars that this was a figurative term, meaning spiritual father or spiritual companion. Muirchú is most certainly referring to the same Cogitosus who wrote a hagiographical Life of St. Bridget in the earlier seventh century. If Muirchú is to be believed, this would make him one of the earliest Irish hagiographers of any saint, second to Cogitosus. Muirchú's written sources for his writings included Patrick's own Confessio and Epistola . The first part of

4379-542: Is that Muirchú wrote the Vita Patricii to encourage conversion. Thomas O’Loughlin argues that it is clear that Muirchú was not only aware of what steps needed to be taken to convince people to convert, but had a deep theological understanding of it and the processes it would take. Hughes also mentions that Muirchú's writings clearly indicate that the Ui Néill, the dominant political power at that time, owed their conversion to Christianity to Patrick. O’Loughlin suggests that

4530-558: Is that by 430, Palladius, a bishop born in France was sent by Pope Celestine to minister to the "Scots believing in Christ." While this is evidence of Christianity existing prior to 430, nothing more may be said for certain. The early Irish Church had strong monastic traditions. Some Eastern Orthodox Christians argue that the church also had an Apostolic connection and was effectively a provincial form of Eastern Orthodox Christianity up until

4681-505: Is the relaxation of the Ne Temere regulations that stipulated that children of mixed Catholic-Protestant marriages should be brought up as Catholics. It is also partly explained by the number of Anglican immigrants who have moved to Ireland recently. In addition, some parishes, especially in middle-class areas of the larger cities, report significant numbers of Catholics joining the Church of Ireland. A number of clergy originally ordained in

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4832-425: Is then followed by an expository sermon by the minister and another hymn, then another prayer and a closing hymn. Many Presbyterian churches mix Psalms and formal hymns with choruses, suitable for children, and many churches now have praise bands with a variety of instruments, as well as the traditional organ. Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, professing that Jesus Christ

4983-557: The Archbishop of Dublin , Michael Jackson . It has been reported that Irish Catholics are joining the Church of Ireland "in strong numbers." The 16th-century apologist Richard Hooker posits that there are three sources of authority in Anglicanism: scripture, tradition and reason. It is not known how widely accepted this idea is within Anglicanism. It is further posited that the three sources uphold and critique each other in

5134-521: The Bible and sacred traditions on which Christianity is based. Concise doctrinal statements or confessions of religious beliefs are known as creeds . They began as baptismal formulae and were later expanded during the Christological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries to become statements of faith. " Jesus is Lord " is the earliest creed of Christianity and continues to be used, as with

5285-773: The Carolingian Renaissance of the 9th century. In the 7th century, Muslims conquered Syria (including Jerusalem ), North Africa, and Spain, converting some of the Christian population to Islam , including some of the Christian populations in pre-Islamic Arabia , and placing the rest under a separate legal status . Part of the Muslims' success was due to the exhaustion of the Byzantine Empire in its decades long conflict with Persia . Beginning in

5436-573: The Celtic , the Baltic and some Slavic peoples . Around 500, Christianity was thoroughly integrated into Byzantine and Kingdom of Italy culture and Benedict of Nursia set out his Monastic Rule , establishing a system of regulations for the foundation and running of monasteries . Monasticism became a powerful force throughout Europe, and gave rise to many early centers of learning, most famously in Ireland , Scotland , and Gaul , contributing to

5587-723: The Church of England . In 1833, the British Government proposed the Irish Church Measure to reduce the 22 archbishops and bishops who oversaw the Anglican minority in Ireland to a total of 12 by amalgamating sees and using the revenues saved for the use of parishes. This sparked the Oxford Movement , which was to have wide repercussions for the Anglican Communion. As the official established church,

5738-603: The Church of Ireland College of Education . The Church in 1999 voted to prohibit the flying of flags other than the St. Patrick's Flag . However, the Union Flag continues to fly on many churches in Northern Ireland. The Church of Ireland experienced major decline during the 20th century, both in Northern Ireland, where around 65% of its members live, and in the Republic of Ireland which contains upwards of 35%. However,

5889-581: The Church of the East (600,000). Smaller church communities number in the thousands despite efforts toward unity ( ecumenism ). In the West , Christianity remains the dominant religion even with a decline in adherence , with about 70% of that population identifying as Christian. Christianity is growing in Africa and Asia, the world's most populous continents. Christians remain greatly persecuted in many regions of

6040-784: The Council of Nicaea (325) where Early Christianity was consolidated into what would become the state religion of the Roman Empire (380). The Church of the East and Oriental Orthodoxy both split over differences in Christology (5th century), while the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church separated in the East–West Schism (1054). Protestantism split into numerous denominations from

6191-603: The East-West Schism . The traditional story of St Patrick says he was from Bannavem Taburniae, the location of which is unclear. His birthplace is not known with any certainty; some traditions place it in England—one identifying it as Glannoventa (modern Ravenglass in Cumbria)—but claims have also been advanced for locations in both present-day Scotland and Wales He was captured and brought to Ireland and later sold as

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6342-469: The Edict of Worms condemned and excommunicated Luther and his followers, resulting in the schism of the Western Christendom into several branches. Other reformers like Zwingli , Oecolampadius , Calvin , Knox , and Arminius further criticized Catholic teaching and worship. These challenges developed into the movement called Protestantism , which repudiated the primacy of the pope ,

6493-597: The Greek language had vanished in the west except in Ireland, where it was widely dispersed in the monastic schools. Irish scholars had a considerable presence in the Frankish court , where they were renowned for their learning. Among them was Johannes Scotus Eriugena , one of the founders of scholasticism. Eriugena was the most significant Irish intellectual of the early monastic period, and an outstanding philosopher in terms of originality. He had considerable familiarity with

6644-745: The Inquisition , were established with the aim of suppressing heresy and securing religious and doctrinal unity within Christianity through conversion and prosecution. The 15th-century Renaissance brought about a renewed interest in ancient and classical learning. During the Reformation , Martin Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses 1517 against the sale of indulgences . Printed copies soon spread throughout Europe. In 1521

6795-825: The Irish Articles , adopted in 1615. In 1634, the Irish Convocation adopted the English Thirty-Nine Articles alongside the Irish Articles. After the Restoration of 1660, it seems that the Thirty-Nine Articles took precedence; they remain the official doctrine of the Church of Ireland even after disestablishment. The Penal Laws , first introduced in the early 17th century, were initially designed to force

6946-768: The Magisterial Reformation as corrupted. Their activity brought about the Radical Reformation , which gave birth to various Anabaptist denominations. Partly in response to the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church engaged in a substantial process of reform and renewal, known as the Counter-Reformation or Catholic Reform. The Council of Trent clarified and reasserted Catholic doctrine. During

7097-420: The Old Testament . The Christian concept of messiah differs significantly from the contemporary Jewish concept . The core Christian belief is that through belief in and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus , sinful humans can be reconciled to God, and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life . While there have been many theological disputes over the nature of Jesus over

7248-462: The Oriental Orthodox , taught Christ "to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably": one divine and one human, and that both natures, while perfect in themselves, are nevertheless also perfectly united into one person . The Athanasian Creed , received in the Western Church as having the same status as the Nicene and Chalcedonian, says: "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding

7399-478: The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland . In the 2022 census, 76.1% of residents in the Republic of Ireland identified as Christians: 69.1% as Catholics , 4.2% as Protestants , 2.1% as Orthodox Christians and 0.7% as other Christians. In the 2021 Northern Irish census, 79.7% of residents identified as Christians: 42.3% as Catholics, 16.6% as Prebysterian , 11.5% as Church of Ireland members, 2.4% as Methodist and 6.9% as other Christians. Orthodoxy has been

7550-443: The Restoration Movement , such as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) , the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada , and the Churches of Christ . The central tenet of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah (Christ). Christians believe that Jesus, as the Messiah, was anointed by God as savior of humanity and hold that Jesus's coming was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies of

7701-485: The State church of the Roman Empire . As soon as it became connected to the state, Christianity grew wealthy; the Church solicited donations from the rich and could now own land. Constantine was also instrumental in the convocation of the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which sought to address Arianism and formulated the Nicene Creed, which is still used by in Catholicism , Eastern Orthodoxy , Lutheranism , Anglicanism , and many other Protestant churches. Nicaea

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7852-463: The Vita is certainly based on the Confessio , and on a narrative of Saint Patrick's stay in Gaul . Following the pre-Christian tradition of oral teachings and storytelling, Muirchú likely got information from some oral traditions as well. Muirchú also mentions that he used material composed by Bishop Ultán. Muirchú was aware that his sources might not always be reliable, as he was writing fairly long after Patrick's death, but made an attempt to tell

8003-441: The Vita provides one of the earliest examples of hagiography in Ireland, a model for a tradition that would endure for many centuries to come. Muirchú's work would go on to influence later Lives of Patrick, such as the Vita tripartita Sancti Patricii . Though very little is known about Muirchú's life, his education background and his desire to help spread Christianity throughout Ireland and encourage conversions can be seen through

8154-422: The World Council of Churches . The Apostles' Creed is the most widely accepted statement of the articles of Christian faith. It is used by a number of Christian denominations for both liturgical and catechetical purposes, most visibly by liturgical churches of Western Christian tradition, including the Latin Church of the Catholic Church , Lutheranism , Anglicanism , and Western Rite Orthodoxy . It

8305-486: The dechristianization of France during the French Revolution , the Spanish Civil War , and certain Marxist movements, especially the Russian Revolution and the persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union under state atheism . Especially pressing in Europe was the formation of nation states after the Napoleonic era . In all European countries, different Christian denominations found themselves in competition to greater or lesser extents with each other and with

8456-457: The regular clergy is about 700. They are engaged either in teaching or in giving missions , but not charged with the government of parishes. Irish travellers have traditionally adopted a very particular attitude to the Catholic church, with a focus on figures such as "healing priests". More generally a tradition of visions continues, often outside of Church sanction. The majority of the people of Northern Ireland are recorded as members of

8607-498: The state religion in Armenia in the early 4th century AD, making Armenia the first officially Christian state. It was not an entirely new religion in Armenia, having penetrated into the country from at least the third century, but it may have been present even earlier. Constantine I was exposed to Christianity in his youth, and throughout his life his support for the religion grew, culminating in baptism on his deathbed. During his reign, state-sanctioned persecution of Christians

8758-498: The 1920s, and it continues to be governed on an all-Ireland basis. Today the Church of Ireland is, after the Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in all of Ireland and the third largest in Northern Ireland after the Catholic and Presbyterian churches. It is governed by a synod of clergy and laity and organised into two ecclesiastical provinces : Armagh , led by the Archbishop of Armagh (styled " Primate of All Ireland "), currently Richard Clarke and Dublin , led by

8909-415: The 6th century AD. These new universities expanded the curriculum to include academic programs for clerics, lawyers, civil servants, and physicians. The university is generally regarded as an institution that has its origin in the Medieval Christian setting. Accompanying the rise of the "new towns" throughout Europe, mendicant orders were founded, bringing the consecrated religious life out of

9060-501: The 8th century, with the rise of Carolingian leaders, the Papacy sought greater political support in the Frankish Kingdom . The Middle Ages brought about major changes within the church. Pope Gregory the Great dramatically reformed the ecclesiastical structure and administration. In the early 8th century, iconoclasm became a divisive issue, when it was sponsored by the Byzantine emperors. The Second Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (787) finally pronounced in favor of icons. In

9211-458: The Archbishop of Armagh is respected as the Church's general leader and spokesman, and is elected in a process different from those for all other bishops. Canon law and church policy are decided by the Church's General Synod, and changes in policy must be passed by both the House of Bishops and the House of Representatives (Clergy and Laity). Important changes, e.g., the decision to ordain female priests, must be passed by two-thirds majorities. While

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9362-415: The Byzantine Emperor Alexios I for aid against Turkish expansion. The Crusades ultimately failed to stifle Islamic aggression and even contributed to Christian enmity with the sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade . The Christian Church experienced internal conflict between the 7th and 13th centuries that resulted in a schism between the Latin Church of Western Christianity branch,

9513-438: The Catholic Church have now become Church of Ireland clergy and many former Catholics also put themselves forward for ordination after they had become members of the Church of Ireland. The 2006 Census in the Republic of Ireland showed that the numbers of people describing themselves as members of the Church of Ireland increased in every county. The highest percentage growth was in the west (Counties Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon) and

9664-657: The Catholic Church in the Reformation era (16th century). Following the Age of Discovery (15th–17th century), Christianity expanded throughout the world via missionary work , evangelism , immigration and extensive trade. Christianity played a prominent role in the development of Western civilization , particularly in Europe from late antiquity and the Middle Ages . The six major branches of Christianity are Roman Catholicism (1.3 billion people), Protestantism (625 million-900 million), Eastern Orthodoxy (230 million), Oriental Orthodoxy (60 million), Restorationism (35 million), and

9815-410: The Church of Ireland in the Republic has shown substantial growth in the last two national censuses; its membership is now back to the levels of sixty years ago (albeit with fewer churches as many have been closed). Church membership increased by 8.7% in the period 2002–2006, during which the population as a whole increased by only 8.2%. Various reasons for this increase have been proposed. One such theory

9966-440: The Church of Ireland in their attempts to resolve the crisis at the Church of the Ascension at Drumcree , near Portadown . The Church of Ireland embraces three orders of ministry: deacon, priest (or presbyter), and bishop. These orders are distinct from functional titles such as rector, vicar or canon. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland , operating on an all-Ireland basis, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Ireland, and

10117-458: The Church of Ireland was funded partially by tithes imposed on all Irish citizens, irrespective of the fact that it counted only a minority of the populace among its adherents; these tithes were a source of much resentment which occasionally boiled over, as in the " Tithe War " of 1831/36. Eventually, the tithes were ended, replaced with a lower levy called the tithe rentcharge . The Irish Church Act 1869 (which took effect in 1871) finally ended

10268-417: The Church of Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is involved in education, evangelism, social service and mission in a number of areas around the world. The Word of God is central in the Presbyterian Church, along with prayer and praise. The order of service varies from church to church but it generally involves a hymn, followed by a prayer, followed by a children's address and a children's hymn. This

10419-408: The Conference of Irish Bishops. In the Republic of Ireland, 87.4% of the citizens were baptised Catholic as infants while the figure for Northern Ireland is 43.8%. Christianity had arrived in Ireland by the early 5th century, and spread through the works of early missionaries such as Palladius , and Saint Patrick . The Church is organised into four provinces; however, these are not coterminous with

10570-509: The English-born Pope Adrian IV authorising him to proceed to Ireland "to check the torrent of wickedness to reform evil manners, to sow the seeds of virtue." The following year, Adrian authorised Henry II to invade Ireland in order "to proclaim the truths of the Christian religion to a rude and ignorant people"; on condition that a penny should be yearly paid from each house to the See of Rome . In 1168 Macmurrogh, King of Leinster, driven from his kingdom sought Henry's aid, and then Adrian's Bull

10721-419: The Faith" and the recognition of other named religious denominations in Ireland. However, in 1983 abortion was banned by the Eighth Amendment of the Irish constitution which recognized the right to life of the unborn as equal to the right to life of the mother and was advocated for by representatives of the Catholic Church. Only in 2018 was a referendum held to repeal the Eighth Amendment , and this repeal marks

10872-533: The Greek language, and translated many works into Latin, affording access to the Cappadocian Fathers and the Greek theological tradition . During the ninth & tenth centuries, waves of Norse warriors ransacked the countryside. The monasteries were favourite targets for their treasures of silver religious ornaments. In the first year of his reign (1154), Henry II of England procured a Bull from

11023-658: The House of Representatives always votes publicly, often by orders, the House of Bishops has tended to vote in private, coming to a decision before matters reach the floor of the Synod. This practice has been broken only once, when in 1999 the House of Bishops voted unanimously in public to endorse the efforts of the Archbishop of Armagh , the Diocese of Armagh, and the Standing Committee of the General Synod of

11174-576: The Jewish commandments. Paul the Apostle solved this by insisting that salvation by faith in Christ , and participation in his death and resurrection by their baptism, sufficed. At first he persecuted the early Christians, but after a conversion experience he preached to the gentiles , and is regarded as having had a formative effect on the emerging Christian identity as separate from Judaism. Eventually, his departure from Jewish customs would result in

11325-599: The Netherlands and Frisia . Ultimately, these differences led to the outbreak of conflicts in which religion played a key factor. The Thirty Years' War , the English Civil War , and the French Wars of Religion are prominent examples. These events intensified the Christian debate on persecution and toleration . In the revival of neoplatonism Renaissance humanists did not reject Christianity; quite

11476-638: The Persons nor dividing the Substance ". Most Christians ( Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , and Protestant alike) accept the use of creeds and subscribe to at least one of the creeds mentioned above. Certain Evangelical Protestants , though not all of them, reject creeds as definitive statements of faith, even while agreeing with some or all of the substance of the creeds. Also rejecting creeds are groups with roots in

11627-536: The Republic of Ireland, and Switzerland, all countries with competing denominations. Competition is found in Germany, the Netherlands, and again Switzerland, all countries with minority Catholic populations, which to a greater or lesser extent identified with the nation. Finally, separation between religion (again, specifically Catholicism) and the state is found to a great degree in France and Italy, countries where

11778-550: The Roman Empire (except Jews) to perform a sacrifice to the Roman gods. The Diocletianic Persecution beginning in 303 AD was also particularly severe. Roman persecution ended in 313 AD with the Edict of Milan . While Proto-orthodox Christianity was becoming dominant, heterodox sects also existed at the same time, which held radically different beliefs. Gnostic Christianity developed a duotheistic doctrine based on illusion and enlightenment rather than forgiveness of sin. With only

11929-404: The Ui Néill to become Christians, other Irish people may have been inspired to follow suit if the powerful family's path, possibly to gain more powerful positions and favours that may not have been granted to those who were not Christian. Use of the Vita sancti Patricii for all three previously stated reasons is generally agreed on by scholars. Muirchú was an initiator of Irish hagiography , and

12080-688: The West , the papacy became a political player, first visible in Pope Leo 's diplomatic dealings with Huns and Vandals . The church also entered into a long period of missionary activity and expansion among the various tribes. While Arianists instituted the death penalty for practicing pagans (see the Massacre of Verden , for example), Catholicism also spread among the Hungarians , the Germanic ,

12231-460: The West came with the Carolingian Renaissance of the Early Middle Ages . Charlemagne , advised by Peter of Pisa and Alcuin of York , attracted the scholars of England and Ireland, and by decree in AD 787 established schools in every abbey in his empire. These schools, from which the name scholasticism is derived, became centres of medieval learning. During the early Scholastic period, knowledge of

12382-847: The West during this period was enormous and of long-lasting significance. The later rise of Islam in North Africa reduced the size and numbers of Christian congregations, leaving in large numbers only the Coptic Church in Egypt, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in the Horn of Africa and the Nubian Church in the Sudan (Nobatia, Makuria and Alodia). With the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in

12533-513: The aim of Muirchú in the Vita was to send a message to his audience; that they had seen the truth of Christianity through Patrick's efforts and that they could still rely on him in his saint form as they had when he lived. By having their own saint, in the sense that Patrick's actions were centred in Ireland, the Irish Christians would have had a lasting figure to rely on as an intermediary to God. By portraying that Patrick had convinced

12684-430: The bible, including classical authors such as Virgil and Sedulius , again alluding to the fact that he was clearly very well educated by monastic standards. Many scholars argue that the Vita sancti Patricii should be seen as a piece of literature, usually falling into the category of hagiography. This is often attributed to the contrast between Patrick's own writings and Muirchú's, because there are parts that vary to

12835-438: The church in England broke communion from the Catholic Church, all but two of the bishops of the Church in Ireland followed the Church of England, although almost no clergy or laity did so. The reformed Church in Ireland then became the state church, assuming possession of most church property (and so retaining a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of

12986-532: The churches of Rome. Its points include: The Nicene Creed was formulated, largely in response to Arianism , at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in 325 and 381 respectively, and ratified as the universal creed of Christendom by the First Council of Ephesus in 431. The Chalcedonian Definition , or Creed of Chalcedon, developed at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, though rejected by

13137-701: The contrary, many of the greatest works of the Renaissance were devoted to it, and the Catholic Church patronized many works of Renaissance art . Much, if not most, of the new art was commissioned by or in dedication to the Church. Some scholars and historians attribute Christianity to having contributed to the rise of the Scientific Revolution . Many well-known historical figures who influenced Western science considered themselves Christian such as Nicolaus Copernicus , Galileo Galilei , Johannes Kepler , Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle . In

13288-620: The course of the 16th century, the Elizabethan state failed to convert the population to Protestantism. There was also a vigorous campaign of proselytising by Counter Reformation Catholic clergy. The result was that Catholicism came to be identified with a sense of nativism and Protestantism came to be identified with the State. The established church in Ireland underwent a period of more radical Calvinist doctrine than occurred in England. James Ussher (later Archbishop of Armagh ) authored

13439-427: The current event he is discussing in between two biblical quotes. This is to mark the beginning and end of passages within the Vita . The frequent appearance of miracles in the Vita also attests to its classification as a piece of literature, in the form of hagiography. There are several incidents in which Patrick is seen to have a miraculous or divine nature. One particular episode in which Saint Patrick drinks from

13590-508: The decisions, and the two principal churches remain in schism to the present day. However, the Catholic Church has achieved union with various smaller eastern churches . In the thirteenth century, a new emphasis on Jesus' suffering, exemplified by the Franciscans' preaching, had the consequence of turning worshippers' attention towards Jews, on whom Christians had placed the blame for Jesus' death . Christianity's limited tolerance of Jews

13741-649: The division caused by the Reformation led to outbreaks of religious violence and the establishment of separate state churches in Europe. Lutheranism spread into the northern, central, and eastern parts of present-day Germany, Livonia , and Scandinavia. Anglicanism was established in England in 1534. Calvinism and its varieties, such as Presbyterianism , were introduced in Scotland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Switzerland, and France. Arminianism gained followers in

13892-543: The dominant sects in both Judaism and Christianity. Christianity spread to Aramaic -speaking peoples along the Mediterranean coast and also to the inland parts of the Roman Empire and beyond that into the Parthian Empire and the later Sasanian Empire , including Mesopotamia , which was dominated at different times and to varying extents by these empires. The presence of Christianity in Africa began in

14043-400: The earliest centuries of Christian history, generally, Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate and " true God and true man " (or both fully divine and fully human). Jesus, having become fully human , suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, but did not sin . As fully God, he rose to life again. According to the New Testament , he rose from the dead, ascended to heaven,

14194-533: The early 10th century, Western Christian monasticism was further rejuvenated through the leadership of the great Benedictine monastery of Cluny . In the West, from the 11th century onward, some older cathedral schools became universities (see, for example, University of Oxford , University of Paris and University of Bologna ). Previously, higher education had been the domain of Christian cathedral schools or monastic schools ( Scholae monasticae ), led by monks and nuns . Evidence of such schools dates back to

14345-525: The era known as the Great Divergence , when in the West, the Age of Enlightenment and the scientific revolution brought about great societal changes, Christianity was confronted with various forms of skepticism and with certain modern political ideologies , such as versions of socialism and liberalism . Events ranged from mere anti-clericalism to violent outbursts against Christianity, such as

14496-723: The establishment of Christianity as an independent religion. This formative period was followed by the early bishops , whom Christians consider the successors of Christ's apostles . From the year 150, Christian teachers began to produce theological and apologetic works aimed at defending the faith. These authors are known as the Church Fathers , and the study of them is called patristics . Notable early Fathers include Ignatius of Antioch , Polycarp , Justin Martyr , Irenaeus , Tertullian , Clement of Alexandria and Origen . Persecution of Christians occurred intermittently and on

14647-425: The fastest growing branch of Christianity in Ireland since 1991. Ireland has for many centuries been noted for its perpetually strong Christian faith. However, in recent decades, a "Quiet Revolution" had taken place which lead to increased secularity in various aspects of Irish society. The 1972 amendment of the Irish constitution, for example, removed the "special position" of the Catholic Church as "guardian of

14798-500: The flowering of learning, and scholars from other nations moved to Irish monasteries. The excellence and isolation of these monasteries helped preserve Latin learning during the Early Middle Ages . The period of Insular art , mainly in the fields of illuminated manuscripts , metalworking, and sculpture flourished and produced such treasures as the Book of Kells , the Ardagh Chalice , and the many carved stone crosses that dot

14949-580: The following centuries, competition between Catholicism and Protestantism became deeply entangled with political struggles among European states. Meanwhile, the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 brought about a new wave of missionary activity. Partly from missionary zeal, but under the impetus of colonial expansion by the European powers, Christianity spread to the Americas, Oceania, East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout Europe,

15100-570: The founder of a church in Ulster but as a missionary, who was accepted by the Ui Néill , the dominant power in Northern Ireland in Muirchú's time. That being said, in the Vita , Muirchú confines Patrick's activities to the north-east of Ireland, and more specifically, in the second part of the Vita , his activities are mainly confined to the province of Ulster. Another popular belief among scholars

15251-599: The important pre-Christian site, Emain Macha (The Twins of Macha), a place steeped in mythological lore and associated with the goddess, or figure of Macha . By establishing Armagh as head of the church, it was an attempt to replace and reclaim the land from this, and any other pagan associations. Hughes’ Early Christian Ireland notes that Patrick set up his church in Ulster , a province that still must have spread over much of Northern Ireland , and contained Armagh. Bishop Aedh,

15402-424: The island. These monasteries served as sanctuary to many of the continents great scholars and theologians. It was here that the lamp of Latin learning was preserved for the ages. During this age, the great illuminated manuscripts of Ireland were produced. Arguably the finest example of such works is The Book of Kells which may still be viewed at Trinity College, Dublin . The first significant renewal of learning in

15553-445: The largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland. The motto is Ardens sed Virens – burning but flourishing. The Church has a membership of approximately 300,000 people in 550 congregations across Ireland. About 96% of the membership is in Northern Ireland. It is the second largest church in Northern Ireland, the first being the Catholic Church in the Republic of Ireland the church is the second largest Protestant denomination, after

15704-451: The largest numerical growth was in the mid-east region (Wicklow, Kildare, and Meath). Co Wicklow is the county with the highest proportion of Church of Ireland members (6.88%); Greystones Co. Wicklow has the highest proportion of any town (9.77%). The polity of the Church of Ireland is Episcopalian church governance , which is the same as other Anglican churches. The Church maintains the traditional structure dating to pre-Reformation times,

15855-730: The last century have been significant, since 1900, Christianity has spread rapidly in the Global South and Third World countries. The late 20th century has shown the shift of Christian adherence to the Third World and the Southern Hemisphere in general, with the West no longer the chief standard bearer of Christianity. Approximately 7 to 10% of Arabs are Christians , most prevalent in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon . While Christians worldwide share basic convictions, there are differences of interpretations and opinions of

16006-485: The laws), and the favouritism granted Irish Anglicans served to polarise the community in terms of religion. (see Anti-Protestantism in Early Modern Ireland 1536–1691 ) thus was also largely a form of hostility to the colonisation of Ireland. Irish poetry of this era shows a marked antipathy to Protestantism, one such poem reading, "The faith of Christ [Catholicism] with the faith of Luther is like ashes in

16157-663: The middle of the 1st century in Egypt and by the end of the 2nd century in the region around Carthage . Mark the Evangelist is claimed to have started the Church of Alexandria in about 43 AD; various later churches claim this as their own legacy, including the Coptic Orthodox Church . Important Africans who influenced the early development of Christianity include Tertullian , Clement of Alexandria , Origen of Alexandria , Cyprian , Athanasius , and Augustine of Hippo . King Tiridates III made Christianity

16308-537: The modern civil provincial divisions. The church is led by four archbishops and twenty-three bishops; however, because there have been amalgamations and absorptions, there are more than twenty-seven dioceses . For instance, the diocese of Cashel has been joined with the diocese of Emly , Waterford with Lismore , and Ardagh with Clonmacnoise . The bishop of Galway is also the Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora . There are 1,087 parishes,

16459-695: The monastery and into the new urban setting. The two principal mendicant movements were the Franciscans and the Dominicans , founded by Francis of Assisi and Dominic , respectively. Both orders made significant contributions to the development of the great universities of Europe. Another new order was the Cistercians , whose large, isolated monasteries spearheaded the settlement of former wilderness areas. In this period, church building and ecclesiastical architecture reached new heights, culminating in

16610-442: The native elite to conform to the state church by excluding Non-conformists and Catholics from public office, but were later, starting under Queen Elizabeth , also used to confiscate virtually all Catholic owned land and grant it to Protestant settlers from England and Scotland. The Penal Laws had a lasting effect on the population, due to their severity (celebrating Catholicism in any form was punishable by death or enslavement under

16761-490: The now-Catholic Church, and an Eastern , largely Greek, branch (the Eastern Orthodox Church ). The two sides disagreed on a number of administrative, liturgical and doctrinal issues, most prominently Eastern Orthodox opposition to papal supremacy . The Second Council of Lyon (1274) and the Council of Florence (1439) attempted to reunite the churches, but in both cases, the Eastern Orthodox refused to implement

16912-571: The orders of Romanesque and Gothic architecture and the building of the great European cathedrals. Christian nationalism emerged during this era in which Christians felt the desire to recover lands in which Christianity had historically flourished. From 1095 under the pontificate of Urban II , the First Crusade was launched. These were a series of military campaigns in the Holy Land and elsewhere, initiated in response to pleas from

17063-652: The papacy. This conflict came to a head in the First Vatican Council , and in Germany would lead directly to the Kulturkampf . Christian commitment in Europe dropped as modernity and secularism came into their own, particularly in the Czech Republic and Estonia , while religious commitments in America have been generally high in comparison to Europe. Changes in worldwide Christianity over

17214-695: The patron of the Vita , was originally from the Irish midlands but had moved to Armagh. Bishop Aedh had then merged his church with the Paruchia Patricii (the confederation of Patrician churches) in Armagh anytime from 661 to 668. Aedh as patron of the Vita must have had some say in what underlying messages were written into the Vita , and Muirchú's companionship with Aedh could have led him to want to help establish Armagh as an important center. Hughes also believes that Muirchú presents Patrick not only as

17365-402: The peaks in Christian history and Christian civilization , and Constantinople remained the leading city of the Christian world in size, wealth, and culture. There was a renewed interest in classical Greek philosophy , as well as an increase in literary output in vernacular Greek. Byzantine art and literature held a preeminent place in Europe, and the cultural impact of Byzantine art on

17516-539: The period 1534–1691. During this period, the island was colonised by English and Scottish Protestant settlers. Most of the Irish remained Catholic. In 1536 during the English Reformation , King Henry VIII of England arranged to be declared head of the Church in Ireland through an Act of the Irish Parliament. When the Church of England was re-formed under King Edward VI of England , so too

17667-473: The population never changed adherence, remaining strongly Catholic, though there were good reasons for joining the state church. Despite its numerical minority, however, the Church of Ireland remained the official state church until it was disestablished on 1 January 1871 by the Irish Church Act 1869 . Like other Irish churches, the Church of Ireland did not divide when Ireland was partitioned in

17818-404: The prime church in Ireland. Armagh held a powerful position in the Irish church from the early Middle Ages onward. There are no sources earlier than Muirchú and Tírechán's works that suggest Patrick had a special connection with Armagh. This goal of making Armagh head of the church is evident throughout the entire Vita , where numerous references are made to Armagh. Most scholars agree that this

17969-461: The relations between the English and the Irish ecclesiastics; the latter sought to transfer their allegiance as churchmen from the sovereign of England to the pope of Rome, so that the struggle for supremacy lasted for centuries. The Crown of England did not gain full control of Ireland until the 16th and 17th centuries, during which the whole island was subjected to a number of military campaigns in

18120-506: The resurrection of Jesus to be the cornerstone of their faith (see 1 Corinthians 15 ) and the most important event in history. Among Christian beliefs, the death and resurrection of Jesus are two core events on which much of Christian doctrine and theology is based. According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified , died a physical death, was buried within a tomb, and rose from the dead three days later. Muirchu Muirchú

18271-416: The role of the Church of Ireland as state church. This terminated both state support and parliament's role in its governance, but also took into government ownership much church property. Compensation was provided to clergy, but many parishes faced great difficulty in local financing after the loss of rent-generating lands and buildings. The Church of Ireland made provision in 1870 for its own government, led by

18422-417: The role of tradition, the seven sacraments , and other doctrines and practices. The Reformation in England began in 1534, when King Henry VIII had himself declared head of the Church of England . Beginning in 1536, the monasteries throughout England, Wales and Ireland were dissolved . Thomas Müntzer , Andreas Karlstadt and other theologians perceived both the Catholic Church and the confessions of

18573-426: The second half of the seventh century. The biography about Saint Patrick written by Muirchú is just one of many documents relating to Saint Patrick contained within this book. The manuscript was copied in the year 807, shortly after the Vita Patricii was written, and is likely the most authentic version. However, due to the incompleteness of all four surviving copies, scholars have found it difficult to piece together

18724-613: The see of St. Peter. In some ways, the change was advantageous to the church hierarchy. Under the ancient system, the native chieftains were absolute master over all their followers, including the clergy. According to the new order introduced by Henry II, the chieftains no longer had authority over the clergy. To maintain their sovereignty over the Irish clergy, the English Kings filled the vacant sees mostly with Englishmen. The Irish clergy in turn appealed to Rome to confirm their nomination. Jealousy, hostility and disputes characterised

18875-461: The seventh century say an outburst of literary activity related to Patrick. Alongside Muirchú's Vita Patricii we have Tírechán 's near contemporaneous Collectanea as well as other works such as the Liber Angeli . These are preserved in the Book of Armagh . These texts, and particularly Muirchú's Vita Patricii , are often thought to have been written to promote the ambitions of Armagh as

19026-615: The snow". The mixture of resistance to colonisation and religious disagreements led to widespread massacres of Protestant settlers in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 . Subsequent religious or sectarian antipathy was fuelled by the atrocities committed by both sides in the Irish Confederate Wars , especially the repression of Catholicism during and after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , when Irish Catholic land

19177-402: The state actively opposed itself to the authority of the Catholic Church. The combined factors of the formation of nation states and ultramontanism , especially in Germany and the Netherlands, but also in England to a much lesser extent, often forced Catholic churches, organizations, and believers to choose between the national demands of the state and the authority of the Church, specifically

19328-608: The state. Variables were the relative sizes of the denominations and the religious, political, and ideological orientation of the states. Urs Altermatt of the University of Fribourg , looking specifically at Catholicism in Europe, identifies four models for the European nations. In traditionally Catholic-majority countries such as Belgium, Spain, and Austria, to some extent, religious and national communities are more or less identical. Cultural symbiosis and separation are found in Poland,

19479-423: The story of Patrick's life as best he could with the available sources. The Vita is a hagiography, written to tell the life story of a Saint , but also including events that may have simply been added to make the Saint seem more impressive. Muirchú writes in a more fluent style than Patrick had in his works, which were notably written in what was considered bad Latin, but not as polished as Cogitosus’ Latin. This

19630-596: The time granted revenues forever to the heirs of the founder. When southerner Brian Ború assumed the High King of Irelandship around 1000 AD, he had his secretary write into the Book of Armagh a confirmation of the right of Armagh to all church revenues in Ireland. It is said that Patrick built 365 churches and consecrated an equal number of bishops, established schools and convents, and held synods. Missionaries from Ireland to England and Continental Europe spread news of

19781-571: The two churches in Ireland, the southern and northern churches, Romani and the Hibernenses, who had various differing customs and some opposing ideas on religious matters. Muirchú's Vita sancti Patricii only survives in four copies, none of which are complete versions, and some of which are only fragments. There are three partial versions of the Vita that survive in Europe and one in Ireland. The incomplete copy in Library at Novara (Cap 77)

19932-480: The various Protestant churches such as the Presbyterian Church , Church of Ireland , Methodist Church and several others. While the Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in either jurisdiction, it is smaller than the combined Protestant denominations in Northern Ireland. In the Republic of Ireland, approximately 3% were recorded as members of various Protestant (1991). The proportion

20083-641: The walls of the old city is Christ Church Cathedral , the seat of the Archbishop of Dublin, and just outside the old walls is St. Patrick's Cathedral , which the church designated as a National Cathedral for Ireland in 1870. Cathedrals also exist in the other dioceses. The church operates a library and seminary, the Church of Ireland Theological College, in Rathgar , in the south inner suburbs of Dublin. The church's central offices are in Rathmines , adjacent to

20234-547: The world, particularly in the Middle East , North Africa , East Asia , and South Asia . Early Jewish Christians referred to themselves as 'The Way' ( Koinē Greek : τῆς ὁδοῦ , romanized:  tês hodoû ), probably coming from Isaiah 40:3 , "prepare the way of the Lord". According to Acts 11:26 , the term "Christian" ( Χρῑστῐᾱνός , Khrīstiānós ), meaning "followers of Christ" in reference to Jesus's disciples ,

20385-517: Was incorporated in 1801 into the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , the Church of Ireland was also united with the Church of England to form the United Church of England and Ireland . At the same time, one archbishop and three bishops from Ireland (selected by rotation) were given seats in the House of Lords at Westminster, joining the two archbishops and twenty-four bishops from

20536-703: Was raised from the dead and is the Son of God , whose coming as the Messiah was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (called the Old Testament in Christianity) and chronicled in the New Testament . It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with over 2.4 billion followers, comprising around 31.2% of the world population . Its adherents, known as Christians , are estimated to make up

20687-451: Was an attempt to compete with Cogitosus and his attempts to establish Kildare as head of the church. Cogitosus had written a Vita Brigitae , much in the same style as Muirchú's Vita where he had claimed that Kildare (through Brigit) was the head church in Ireland. Hagiographies were often used to contest supremacy for their separate churches. According to Muirchú, Patrick founded his main church at Armagh, and stated in his work that Armagh

20838-408: Was beloved by Patrick. In the Vita , Muirchú writes that Patrick intended to die in Armagh, and though an angel convinced him not to specifically go there, the angel stated that Patrick's ‘pre-eminence’ would be at Armagh. Monastics were eager to crush any connections to pre-Christian pagan religions, and Armagh was home to various important pre-Christian sites. Foremost, Armagh was located close to

20989-445: Was confiscated en masse, clergy were executed and discriminatory legislation was passed against Catholics. The Church of Ireland undertook the first publication of Scripture in Irish. The first Irish translation of the New Testament was begun by Nicholas Walsh , Bishop of Ossory , who worked on it until his untimely death in 1585. The work was continued by John Kearny, his assistant, and Dr. Nehemiah Donellan , Archbishop of Tuam ; it

21140-535: Was copied sometime in the thirteenth century, another incomplete copy at Bibliothèque Royal in Brussels (Reg.64) appears to have been copied in the 11th century, and the two fragments at the Nationalbibliothek (Ser. Nov 3642) in Vienna are recorded in insular Anglo-Saxon script dating to the later eighth century. The version that survived in Ireland was contained within a manuscript called The Book of Armagh (Dublin, Trinity College, Ms.52), which contains most important later traditions about Patrick and dates from

21291-412: Was ended with the Edict of Toleration in 311 and the Edict of Milan in 313. At that point, Christianity was still a minority belief, comprising perhaps only 5% of the Roman population. Influenced by his adviser Mardonius , Constantine's nephew Julian unsuccessfully tried to suppress Christianity. On 27 February 380, Theodosius I , Gratian , and Valentinian II established Nicene Christianity as

21442-464: Was finally completed by William O'Domhnuill (William Daniell, Archbishop of Tuam in succession to Donellan). Their work was printed in 1602. The work of translating the Old Testament was undertaken by William Bedel (1571–1642), Bishop of Kilmore , who completed his translation within the reign of Charles I , although it was not published until 1680 in a revised version by Narcissus Marsh (1638–1713), Archbishop of Dublin. William Bedell had undertaken

21593-414: Was first used in the city of Antioch by the non-Jewish inhabitants there. The earliest recorded use of the term "Christianity/Christianism" ( Χρῑστῐᾱνισμός , Khrīstiānismós ) was by Ignatius of Antioch around 100  AD . The name Jesus comes from ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἰησοῦς Iēsous , likely from Hebrew / Aramaic : יֵשׁוּעַ Yēšūaʿ. Christianity developed during the 1st century AD as

21744-411: Was gratified with this extension of his dominion, and in September 1172 issued a brief confirming the bull of Adrian, and expressing a hope that "the barbarous nation" would attain under the government of Henry "to some decency of manners;" he also wrote three epistles—one to Henry II., one to the kings and nobles of Ireland, and one to its hierarchy—enjoining obedience of Ireland to England, and of both to

21895-500: Was in Auxerre that he heard of the mission to convert Ireland and decided to return. The lack of evidence in Patrick's writings for certain events that take place in the Vita indicates Muirchú's was enhancing Patrick's life and adding new events to make Patrick's tale seem more impressive. Similar to a piece of literature, the Vita Patricii contains two climaxes, suggesting that Muirchú added these for dramatic effect. Muirchú also uses an interesting stylistic device in which he places

22046-432: Was more than 10% in 1891 – a drop to less than a third of the previous percentage. The percentage in 2011 is almost 5%. In 1861, only the west coast and Kilkenny had less than 6% Protestant population. Dublin and two of the border counties had over 20% Protestant. By 1991, however, all counties had fewer than 6% Protestants, with four having less than 1%. There are no counties in the Republic of Ireland which have experienced

22197-400: Was not new—Augustine of Hippo said that Jews should not be allowed to enjoy the citizenship that Christians took for granted—but the growing antipathy towards Jews was a factor that led to the expulsion of Jews from England in 1290 , the first of many such expulsions in Europe. Beginning around 1184, following the crusade against Cathar heresy, various institutions, broadly referred to as

22348-404: Was possibly a member of the Tuath Mochtaine clan, who resided on Mag Macha, the Armagh plain. Ludwig Bieler believes this can be seen through Muirchú's recorded last name, Machtheni. Muirchú, along with Bishop Aedh, is recorded to have been among the ecclesiastics who attended the Synod of Birr in 697 A.D. Their attendance at the Synod suggests that the two were concerned with the unification of

22499-450: Was remembered. A contingent of Cambro-Norman knights went to Ireland in 1169. In 1171 Henry himself landed at Waterford. The king proceeded to Dublin where he spent the winter and received the submission of many Irish kings. In late 1171, an assembly of the Irish clergy gathered at Cashel which proclaimed Henry's title to the sovereign dominion of Ireland. They also took the oath of fidelity to him and his successors. Pope Alexander III

22650-406: Was the Church of Ireland. All but two of the Irish bishops accepted the Elizabethan Settlement , although the vast majority of priests and the church membership remained Catholic. The Church of Ireland claims Apostolic succession because of the continuity in the hierarchy; however, this is disputed by the Catholic Church. During the Tudor conquest of Ireland by the Protestant state of England in

22801-399: Was the first of a series of ecumenical councils , which formally defined critical elements of the theology of the Church, notably concerning Christology . The Church of the East did not accept the third and following ecumenical councils and is still separate today by its successors ( Assyrian Church of the East ). In terms of prosperity and cultural life, the Byzantine Empire was one of

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