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Why did Gregory I tell Augustine of Canterbury to adapt local temples for Christian worship?

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St. Gregory the Great Pope Gregory I (the Great) depicted in a stained glass window at St. Michael & All Angels Church in Brinkworth, Wiltshire, England.

Pope Gregory I the Great directed St. Augustine of Canterbury to purify and adapt local temples for Christian worship rather than destroying them.1

This strategy was intended to facilitate the conversion of the local population by allowing them to continue worshipping in familiar spaces, thereby easing the transition to the new faith. By repurposing these sites, the mission sought to transform the existing religious infrastructure into centers for Christian practice, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to evangelization.1