St. Patrick, patron of Ireland
The real man behind the snakes and shamrocks
St. Patrick, not unlike St. Valentine and St. Nicholas, has made his way into the hearts of the secular world, including the United States, which commemorates him with parades, green beer , and corned beef and hash. However, March 17 is so much more than cause for a day of revelry; it is a day to celebrate the life of a great Catholic saint
In about 385 A.D., Patrick was born Maewyn Succat in or around Kilpatrick, Scotland, to Roman parents in charge of the Roman colonies in Britain. He lived in Britain with his parents until age 16 when he was captured during a raid and taken, as a slave, to Ireland. While enslaved, he was made to herd and tend sheep. He learned the customs and languages of the Druids and pagans who held him captive, but prayed to God daily.
Four years after his capture, it was a vision from God that prompted him to escape his captors, flee to the sea, sail back to Britain and be reunited with his parents. After he had been home for a while, he had another vision. In this dream, the people of Ireland called out to him and begged him to return to them.
After that dream, Maewyn made the decision to become a priest. He went to study under the man who would become St. Germanus, who was then the Bishop of Auxerre. Germanus ordained him a priest. Upon his ordination, Maewyn took the name Patrick. He continued to study under Germanus and went on holy missions with him. Later, he was ordained a bishop and instructed, by the pope, to take the Gospel to Ireland.
He returned to Ireland on March 25, 433, landing at Slane. According to one legend, after landing in Ireland, he first met with a chieftain of a one of the tribes who attempted to kill him. When the chieftain’s arm became frozen, he was convinced to leave him unharmed and Patrick was free to carry on the word of God.
Patrick preached his message all over the country and, upon hearing it, many Irish converted to Catholicism. It is said he used the shamrock to explain the trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) to people and it has been associated with his memory ever since. Another legend frequently associated with Patrick had him driving all of the snakes from Ireland. Although it is not believed Patrick literally drove snakes from Ireland, the legend is now looked at symbolically and the snakes are believed to represent the paganism Patrick banished from Ireland as he spread the God’s word.
He continued his work in Ireland for about 40 years, living in poverty and suffering much until his death on March 17, 461. He died at Saul, the site of the first Catholic Church he had constructed in Ireland.
After his death, he was declared a saint because of the trials and tribulations he endured during his lifetime, as well as his dedication to preaching the word of God. One of his writings, the Confessio, recounted many of the hardships he faced.
For centuries, Ireland has celebrated its apostle and patron saint with subdued reverence by holding religious services and parades; however, St. Patrick’s Day was not celebrated in the United States until Irish immigrants brought the feast day to Boston in 1737. In 1762, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in New York. Yet, it was not until the late 19th century that St. Patrick’s Day was turned into the bacchanal event the United States knows it as today. So, as you lift a green beer and celebrate the one day everybody’s Irish, take a moment to remember the legacy of a man who dedicated his life to God, preaching the Gospel and living his faith the best way he knew how.
Article by: Gillian Lester-George
Photo: courtesty of Archdiocese of Milwaukee