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Who Was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick, the patron saint of
Ireland, is one of Christianity's most
widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains
somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated
with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the
snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of
exaggerated storytelling.
 Taken Prisoner By
Irish Raiders
It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents
near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on
March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon,
it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax
incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a
particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken
prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's
estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in
captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place.
Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County
Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near
Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away
from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace,
becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first
began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during
his captivity.)
Guided By Visions
After more than six years as a prisoner,
Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice—which he believed to
be God's—spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave
Ireland. |
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do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is
believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain,
Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation—an angel in a
dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after,
Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more
than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to
Ireland with a dual mission—to minister to Christians already living in
Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission
contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity
to Ireland.)
Bonfires and Crosses
Familiar with the Irish language and
culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his
lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish
beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the
Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed
a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what
is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would
seem more natural to the Irish. (Although there were a small number of
Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a
nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich
tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no
surprise that the story of Patrick's life became exaggerated over the
centuries—spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a
part of the Irish way of life. )
Photos: (1) Archive Photos (Kean)
(2) Corbis/Michael Nicholson
Source: The
History Channel - A&E Television Networks
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