The Romans did not get very far into Scotland and so nor did Christianity. In the Dark Ages, this place was called Pictland after the Picts who lived there. The British also lived in southern Scotland. The Picts and the Northern British worshipped many different gods. They were pagans. In the 5th century, a few missionaries and hermits took Christianity into Pictland. About AD 510, St. Ninian set up the first cathedral at Whithorn. This is in Galloway, a region in the kingdom of Strathclyde. He was probably sent there by the British Bishop of Carlisle. King Riderch of Strathclyde went on holiday to Ireland. He became a Christian there. Christianity then became very popular in his kingdom. He asked St. Kentigern (also called St. Mungo) to set up Glasgow Cathedral in AD 553. The Scots lived in Argyle in south-west Pictland. In the 560s, St. Columba and St. Moluag came from Ireland to persuade the Scots to become Christian. St. Columba converted the King and all his people. He set up a famous monastery on the Island of Iona. St. Columba went into Pictland. An old story tells us how he met the Loch Ness Monster! Columba tried to persuade the Picts to become Christians too. He wasn't very successful. Some Picts become Christian over the next 100 years. In AD 715, King Nectan of the Picts made friends with the Abbot of Monk Wearmouth (in Co. Durham). Everyone in Pictland became Christian.