it was because of the invention of the GREGORIAN calender that caused the months and days etc to be counted ad they are now, before it was more of a lunar calender, as the chinese have. but he was the pope so it kinda ties in [i mite be wrong, correct me if i am]...
i think in the UK religion is much less important as we are a small country with a vast spread of cultures and backgrounds. politics and religion are pretty separate here in the mind of the voters. they arent going to vote for someone whos a bible basher, nor a muslim fanatic. but if you keep your religion to yourself and are pretty tolerant, politics seems to be not too harsh!