The first continuance is in the syncretism of pagan elements of the forge in the Saints of Catholicism, whose appointments as patrons of the smith and related crafts gave them the powers of the forge gods in sanctioned form. What was the importance of the forge god in the pantheons of worship? What were the roles of the blacksmith as a representative of these pagan gods in those diverse societies? How did the arrival of Christianity, both as a faith and in its role as a function of the Roman Empire in decline, redefine that status quo? What elements of the forge gods and their cleric-smith agents were integrated into Christianity? What beliefs and practices endured in the folklore and superstitions of European Middle Age society? How did such beliefs fall into decline in the Age of Industry? Contemporary sources including hagiographies, commentaries, and chronicles supplemented by modern analysis and research support a parallel continuance of the smith’s power. This study examines the continuation in European Christian society of magical-religious traditions previously associated with pagan gods of the forge.
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