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List of converts to Christianity from paganism

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This is a list of notable converts to Christianity from pagan religions. Paganism is a term which, from a Western perspective, has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or cultic practices or beliefs of any folk religion, and of historical and contemporary polytheistic religions in particular.

While the term has historically been used to denote adherents of any non-Abrahamic faith, for the purposes of this list, only adherents of non-major polytheistic, shamanistic, pantheistic, or animistic religions will be listed in this section.

{{Expand list|date=January 2021}}

Irish paganism

British/Germanic (excluding Norse) paganism

  • Aebbe the Elder – Scottish monastic founder.[http://www.olotrosarypeterlee.co.uk/Northernsaints.html The Northern Saints] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070927034343/http://www.olotrosarypeterlee.co.uk/Northernsaints.html |date=2007-09-27 }}
  • Saint Alban – first Christian martyr in Britain.[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta34.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Alban] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910231101/http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta34.htm |date=2012-09-10 }}
  • Cenwalh of Wessex – King of Wessex.Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book III, chapter 7.
  • Constantine of Cornwall – 6th-century king of Dumnonia.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
  • Saint Constantine of Strathclyde – King of Strathclyde, and later abbot of Rahan.[http://www.britannia.com/bios/ebk/constsc.html Britannia EBK Biographies: St. Constantine, King of Strathclyde]
  • Cynegils – Anglo-Saxon king of the West Saxons.{{Cite web |url=http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/cynegils.html |title=Berkshire History: Biographies: St. Abban of Abingdon |access-date=2012-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721052726/http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/cynegils.html |archive-date=2017-07-21 }}
  • Raedwald of East Anglia – King of East Anglia from about AD 599 to about AD 625.[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9062445/Raedwald Raedwald – Britannica Online Encyclopedia]
  • Sigeberht of East Anglia – King of East Anglia from AD 631 to 634.D.H. Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints (Oxford 1978). {{ISBN|0-19-282038-9}}.
  • Riderch Hael – King of Strathclyde who established the first See of Strathclyde at Glasgow.{{cite web|url=https://www.mun.ca/mst/heroicage/issues/2/ha2rh.htm |title=The Heroic Age: Rhydderch Hael |access-date=2009-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831210511/http://www.mun.ca/mst/heroicage/issues/2/ha2rh.htm |archive-date=2009-08-31 }}
  • Æthelberht of Kent – King of Kent.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05553b.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Ethelbert (King of Kent)]
  • Clovis I – early king of the Franks.{{cite web |url=http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9024458/Clovis-I |title=Clovis I - Britannica Concise |access-date=2012-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017050359/http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9024458/Clovis-I |archive-date=2007-10-17 }}
  • Igraine – mother of King Arthur
  • Peada of Mercia – King of southern Mercia; helped found the monastery at Peterborough.[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16790/16790-8.txt Allen, Grant. "Anglo-Saxon Britain".]
  • Leonard of Noblac – Frankish noble in the court of Clovis I.[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintl09.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Leonard of Noblac] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813044926/http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintl09.htm |date=2012-08-13 }}
  • Edwin of Northumbria – King of Deira and Bernicia.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
  • Rumwold – legendary "infant saint".{{cite web |url=http://www.catholic-forum.com/SAINTS/saintr28.htm |title=Patron Saints Index: Saint Rumwold |website=www.catholic-forum.com |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060518102135/http://www.catholic-forum.com/SAINTS/saintr28.htm |archive-date=18 May 2006 }}
  • Saint Bavo – Frankish eremitic monk who lived during the Middle Ages.[http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=555 St. Bavo – Catholic Online]

Norse paganism

  • Leif Ericson – Icelandic Viking explorer.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/erikson_leif.shtml BBC – History – Leif Erikson (11th century)]
  • Guthrum of East Anglia – King of the Danish Vikings in the Danelaw.[https://archive.org/details/ashorthistoryen00greegoog/page/n80 Green, John Richard. "A short history of the English people".]
  • Rollo of Normandy – founder of Viking province of Normandy.[http://sbaldw.home.mindspring.com/hproject/prov/rollo000.htm Rollo of Normandy]
  • Saint Olaf – King of Norway.[http://www.viking.no/e/people/st.olav/index.html Olav Haraldsson]
  • Rorik of Dorestad – Danish Viking leader.[http://www.missgien.net/vikings/rorik.html Viking in the Netherlands]

Graeco-Roman Paganism

  • Saint Apollonius – 2nd-century Roman Senator, Christian apologist and martyr.[http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0418.shtml Saint Patrick's Church: Saints of April 18]
  • Coelia Concordia [We don't know if she did or not. People say she did at the end of her life but it could propaganda]– last Roman Vestal Virgin. [http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/634992 Forum Romanum: the Temple of Vesta and the Vestal Virgins] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051219064338/http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/634992 |date=2005-12-19 }}
  • Commodianus – Latin poet; first practiced Judaism, and later converted to Christianity.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04165a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Commodianus]
  • Constantine I (the Great) – Roman Emperor who legalized Christianity in the Edict of Milan in 313.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04295c.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Constantine the Great]
  • Pertinax of Byzantium – Bishop of Byzantium from 169 until his death in 187.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ec-patr.eu/list/index.php?lang=en&id=15 |title=Ecumenical Patriarchate |access-date=2012-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008165258/http://www.ec-patr.eu/list/index.php?lang=en |archive-date=2007-10-08 }}
  • Athenagoras of Athens – philosopher and early Christian apologist.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02042b.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Athenagoras]
  • Dionysius the Areopagite – judge of the Areopagus and early Bishop of Athens.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05013a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite]
  • Saint Eustace – early Christian who was martyred, with his family, in a brazen bull.[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainte17.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Eustachius] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205012006/http://catholic-forum.com/saints/sainte17.htm |date=2006-12-05 }}
  • Evodius – early Bishop of Antioch who (according to tradition) first called the disciples of Christ "Christians".[http://www.lumenverum.org/apologetics/EarlyChurchHistory/page18.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120804192027/http://www.lumenverum.org/apologetics/EarlyChurchHistory/page18.html|date=2012-08-04}}, [http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3307]
  • Gaius Marius Victorinus – Roman philosopher.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15414b.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Caius Marius Victorinus]
  • Honoratus – former Archbishop of Arles.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07451a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Saint Honoratus]
  • Pancras of Rome – early Roman Christian martyr.[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp02.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Pancras] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060830154859/http://www.catholic-forum.com/Saints/saintp02.htm |date=2006-08-30 }}
  • Saint Pantaleon (Panteleimon) – early Christian physician and martyr.[http://www.itmonline.org/bodytheology/stpant.htm Body Theology – St. Panteleimon]
  • Saint Cyriacus – early Christian saint.[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintc8p.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Cyriacus] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503160630/http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintc8p.htm |date=2012-05-03 }}
  • Saint Julius the Veteran – early Christian martyr.[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintjer.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Julius the Veteran] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828210258/http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintjer.htm |date=2012-08-28 }}
  • Sabinian of Troyes – Christian martyr.[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saints28.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Sabinian of Troyes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060507165622/http://catholic-forum.com/saints/saints28.htm |date=2006-05-07 }}
  • Tertullian – author and apologist; coined the Latin term for 'Trinity.'
  • Lactantius – early Christian author.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08736a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius]
  • Theophilus of Antioch – early Patriarch of Antioch.Apologia ad Autolycum i. 14, ii. 24.
  • Justin Martyr – early Christian apologist.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08580c.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Justin Martyr]
  • Polycarp – early Christian bishop.[http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc09/htm/iv.iii.xv.htm], [http://ecole.evansville.edu/glossary/polycarp.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310110948/http://ecole.evansville.edu/glossary/polycarp.html|date=2012-03-10}}

Egyptian paganism

  • Horapollo – leader of the few remaining pagan schools of Menouthis during Emperor Zeno's reign (474–491) who converted to Christianity after being tortured.[http://www.studiolum.com/en/cd08-horapollo.htm Studiolum]

Mideastern and Arabian paganism

  • Waraqah ibn Nawfal – Parental cousin of Khadija, Muhammad's first wife.Reading Islam.com: [http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1189959466154&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout What Really Happened Up There?]
  • Rabbula – early Bishop of Edessa.{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9062350 |title=Rabbula -- Britannica Concise Encyclopedia - the online encyclopedia you can trust! |website=www.britannica.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022090421/http://britannica.com/ebc/article-9062350 |archive-date=2007-10-22}}

African traditional religions

  • Charles Atangana – paramount chief of the Ewondo and Bane ethnic groups in Cameroon; first Ewondo to be baptised.[http://www.bonaberi.com/article.php?aid=7 Bonaberi.com: A la découverte de Charles Atangana]
  • Francis Arinze – Nigerian Roman Catholic cardinal.God's Invisible Hand: The Life and Work of Francis Cardinal Arinze, an Interview with Gerard O'Connell, pp. 12–21 (Ignatius Press, 2006) {{ISBN|978-1-58617-135-3}}
  • Félix Houphouët-Boigny – first President of Côte d'Ivoire.
  • Frederick William Koko Mingi VIII of Nembe – 19th-century king of Nembe who later returned to animismLivingston Borobuebi Dambo, Nembe: the Divided Kingdom (Paragraphics, 2006), p. 589
  • Samuel Ajayi Crowther – first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria.[http://www.dacb.org/stories/nigeria/legacy_crowther.html Crowther, Samuel Ajayi, Nigeria, Anglican] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415001840/http://www.dacb.org/stories/nigeria/legacy_crowther.html |date=2012-04-15 }}
  • Jomo Kenyatta – first Prime Minister and President of Kenya.[http://www.africawithin.com/kenyatta/kenyatta_bio.htm Jomo Kenyatta]
  • Bernard Mizeki – African Christian missionary and martyr.[http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/188.html Bernard Mizeki, Catechist and Martyr in Africa]
  • Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba – Queen of Ndongo and Matamba in the 16th century.[http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pwmn_2/hd_pwmn_2.htm], [http://womenshistory.about.com/od/medrenqueens/p/nzinga.htm]
  • Ranavalona II – Queen of Madagascar.[http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/02/daily-02-21-2002.shtml February 21: Ranavalona II; Christian History Institute] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20060619111224/http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/02/daily-02-21-2002.shtml |date=2006-06-19 }}
  • Joseph Shabalala – lead singer, founder and musical director of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.[http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/current.articles_detail/project_id/122/article_id/2285.cfm Rock Paper Scissors – Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Raise Your Spirit Higher (Heads Up) – Concert Preview]

North American or Inuit

  • Gelelemend – prominent Lenape convert to the Moravian Church.
  • Geronimo – leader of the Bedonkohe Apache.{{cite book |author=Geronimo |editor1-first=S. M. |editor1-last=Barrett |editor2-first=Frederick W. |editor2-last=Turner |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jUPsbhM5wCYC&pg=PT11 |title=Geronimo: his own story |location=New York |publisher=Penguin |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-452-01155-7 |access-date=November 12, 2015 |archive-date=January 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105120945/https://books.google.com/books?id=jUPsbhM5wCYC&pg=PT11 |url-status=live }}
  • Samson Occom – Mohegan minister.[http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/samsonoccom.htm Samson Occom, Christian Convert]
  • Pocahontas – Native American celebrity in 17th century London.[http://www.apva.org/history/pocahont.html Pocahontas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417025121/http://www.apva.org/history/pocahont.html |date=2009-04-17 }}
  • Helen Kalvak – Inuk artist from Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada.{{cite web |url=https://carleton.ca/gallery/Creature/Bios.html |title=Bios |website=carleton.ca |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020329054541/http://www.carleton.ca/gallery/creature/Bios.html |archive-date=2002-03-29}}
  • Kateri Tekakwitha – Native American who became a Roman Catholic saint.
  • Red Cloud – Oglala military leader during the Bozeman War.{{cite book| last= Enochs| first= Ross |title= The Jesuit Mission to the Lakota Sioux: Pastoral Theology and Ministry, 1886–1945| year= 1996| page= 26| publisher= Rowman & Littlefield| isbn= 978-1-55612-813-4}}
  • Chief Seattle – Suquamish and Duwamish leader and namesake of Seattle, Washington.{{cite web |title=Chief Seattle and Chief Joseph: From Indians to Icons |first=David M. |last=Buerge |work=University of Washington |url=https://content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/buerge2.html}}

New Zealand and Pacific Islands traditional religions

European paganism (generic)

  • Saint Barbara – Orthodox Christian martyr.Holweck, F. G. "A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints". St. Louis, Missouri: B. Herder Book Co., 1924.

Eastern European/ Slavic paganism

  • Borivoj I of Bohemia – Duke of Bohemia (852/853 – 888/889).[http://comrade280.tripod.com/fam1659.html Borivoj I (Borivorius I) Duke of Bohemia\ Saint Ludmila] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203092336/http://comrade280.tripod.com/fam1659.html |date=2008-02-03 }}
  • Boris I of Bulgaria – Bulgarian ruler and monk.[http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/EastEurope/BulgarEmp1.html Untitled Document]
  • Anna, daughter of Presian I – sister of Boris I.
  • Saint Ludmila – Catholic and Orthodox Christian saint and martyr.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09416a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Ludmilla]
  • Mieszko I of Poland – first Prince of Poland (962-992)
  • Sittas – Byzantine magister militum.{{cite book|editor1-last=Martindale|editor1-first=John Robert|editor2-last=Jones|editor2-first=Arnold Hugh Martin|editor3-last=Morris|editor3-first=J.|title=The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Volume III: A.D. 527–641|year=1992|location=Cambridge, United Kingdom|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-20160-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ElkwedRWCXkC}} pp. 1160–1163.
  • Vladimir I of Kiev – Grand Prince of Kiev,[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintv09.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Vladimir I of Kiev] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308120507/http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintv09.htm |date=2012-03-08 }} the Baptiser of Russian Lands, Equal to Apostles

Baltic paganism

  • Mindaugas – the first and only Christian king of Lithuania, accepted Christianity in 1251.{{cite encyclopedia | editor=Sužiedėlis, Simas | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Lituanica | title=Mindaugas| year=1970–1978 | publisher=Juozas Kapočius | volume=III | location=Boston, Massachusetts | pages=538–543| lccn=74-114275 }}
  • Morta – Queen of Lithuania and wife of Mindaugas. She remained a Christian even after the apostasy of her husband.[https://ldkistorija.lt/#morta-karaliaus-mindaugo-zmona-is-svedijos-_fact_189 Morta]
  • Jogaila – former King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.[http://www.lituanus.org/1987/87_4_04.htm Jogaila (1350-1434)]
  • Vytautas The Great – the Grand Duke of Lithuania and cousin of Jogaila.Lietuvos valdovai (2004), p. 79. Lietuvos valdovai (2004), p. 79.

Finnic paganism

References

{{reflist}}{{Lists of converts}}

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