When did it go astray? Fourth century? Second? First? Earlier?
“When did it go astray? Fourth century? Second? First? Earlier?”
It’s not a fixed date because 1. We don’t go astray instantly and 2. the records aren’t there.
We know that the Emperor Constantine, around the middle of the fourth century, called the first big church council. He and Sylvester were heavily involved in inviting the pagans with all their superstitions and paraphernalia into the church.
The Christians watched in horror and then dropped out. They had to take to the hills later because the Popes took up persecuting them where the Emperors left off.