And don't forget, Great Britain used to be Roman Catholic...

Catholic.

And remained so officially, while rejecting the authority of the Pope or 'Bishop of Rome' who was left to preside over the Roman Catholic Church.

Great Britiain, of course, (U.K. of), was always solidly Protestant. Indeed, at root that's how it came into being.

("nearly pure hyperbole." Does that mean it was just a little bit impure?)