How long did it take for Christianity to take over Europe?

Answer 1

A:The pagan faiths were remarkably resilient, even in the face of the most strident persecution. Constantine gave Christianity state patronage early in the fourth century and began the long persecution of the pagan temples, at a time when Christians formed perhaps ten per cent of the population of the empire. His sons and successors increased the level of persecution, and paganism began a slow decline in the empire. Near the end of the fourth century, Emperor Theodosius made the public worship of the pagan gods punishable by death, although Christians were probably still a minority in the empire. It took more than two more centuries for Christianity to finally wipe out remnants of pagan worship in the empire. As late as the sixth century, legislation was promulgated demanding the death penalty for the pagan practice of sacrifice.

The barbarian north continued to be pagan, as well as central and eastern Europe. Between the sixth and tenth centuries, Christians engaged in raids to capture pagans as slaves. The final success of European Christianity came in the late tenth century, when the pagan prince of Kiev, Vladimir, adopted Orthodox Christianity and ordered the mass baptism of Russians.