Christianity And Pagan Traditions

Pagan ritual versus Catholic and Christian beliefs
Do Catholic and Christian beliefs and holidays have Pagan roots? Pope Gregory 1st said, "Converting heathens is easier if they are allowed to retain the outward forms of their traditional Pagan practices and traditions, while recasting those traditions spiritually towards the one true God instead of to their Pagan devils."(Pagan timeline Google para6) Three of eight major Pagan holidays were converted to Christian and Catholic holidays when Christianity spread through Europe. There are many reasons this was done, one was to ensure that the Pagan worshipers would convert to Christianity. They converted the holidays to show the Pagans that they too celebrated what they celebrated and were not
The name Brighid comes from the Celtic root Brig which means exalted. The Goddess Brighid was worshiped as the Goddess of spring and associated with the renewal of life after winter. She is associated with fire and the Sun. Brighid’s holiday was Imboloc celebrated on February 1st. Brighid was worshiped in Ireland manly around the South East where a shrine built for her was attended by a devote group of an all-female priesthood. Her shrine had an ever lit flame that was attended to by her priestesses and surrounding the shrine were wells of water that only the priestesses could drink from. It is often said that Brighid was a midwife to other Goddesses. As Christianity came to Ireland the Catholic Church took over the land of Brighid’s shrine and used it as a shrine to Saint Brigit, this shrine was tended to by nuns who followed Saint Brigit. Saint Brigit was the Irish Catholic Saint of healing and the wells around the shrine were said to have healing waters. Saint Brigit was said to be the midwife to the Virgin Mary at the birth of Jesus Christ. Saint Brigit was said to have been born at the first light of dawn on the night between winter and spring February 1st, and because of this she was associated with the sun and the coming of the morning. For Saint Brigit this day has become known as Candlemas Celebrated on February 1st. Both the Goddess Brighid and Saint Brigit are known for the art of healing,
The God Dagda, like the Goddess Brighid, is an Irish Pagan God. The God Dagda is called the Good God or The Father God. As a symbol of manhood The God Dagda was represented by snakes, because in pagan tradition snakes were a symbol of the earth and the male life force. The God Dagda is known for his battle against the Fomorians an ancient tribe of giants that terrorized the land of Ireland. After a fierce battle Dagda chased the Fomorians from Ireland. Saint Patrick, though born in Roman England, was thought of as the true Irish Saint. Saint Patrick spent time in a monastery in Rome and it is said that one night he had a dream that Ireland was calling for him, wanting him to teach the land about God. Saint Patrick went to Ireland with the blessing of the Catholic Church to spread the word of God. As he traveled through Ireland preaching the word of God, he was met with great upheaval among the Celtic Pagans that were not easily converted to the new religion. There was a conflict between the newly converted and the Pagans, many who practiced paganism went into hiding and blended in to the newly growing society. This was depicted as Saint Patrick chasing the snakes from Ireland. The snakes in this case represented the pagan worshipers. It is easy to make the comparison of the God Dagda and Saint Patrick, both are associated with chasing evil from the land of Ireland. The God Dagda and Saint Patrick are