Which direction did Irish missionaries head to spread Christianity?
Okay, let's talk about those Irish missionaries and their journey to spread Christianity. When we think about the early spread of Christianity in the British Isles, Ireland played a huge role. While missionaries from Rome were converting people in the south of Britain, Irish monks were busy heading in a very different direction. Think about it geographically: Ireland is located to the west of Great Britain. So, to spread their faith, they naturally sailed eastwards to the western and northern parts of what is now Scotland and northern England. Figures like St. Columba, also known as Colmcille, are key here. In the 6th century, he left Ireland and founded a monastery on the island of Iona, off the coast of Scotland. From there, he and his followers converted much of Scotland and the north of England to Christianity. So, while Christianity did spread in other directions later on, the initial push from Irish missionaries was predominantly northwards, making "North" the correct answer.
With the compass pointed to the Northern star, these missionaries spread their faith.