Saint Patrick is internationally known as the saint of Ireland. From the clip you were born you have celebrated Saint Patricks Day. You dress up in green and state, “ Everybody ‘s Irish on Saint Patrick ‘s Day. ” Most people do n’t cognize the true history behind Saint Patrick, and merely believe of Saint Patrick ‘s Day as a twenty-four hours for merriment. Even historiographers have problem bring outing the truth about Saint Patrick.
Saint Patrick ‘s early old ages are besides a enigma to us. However, we do cognize that when he was approximately 16 he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. There he became a shepherd ( Jones ) . Bing a slave was a difficult, grueling life, and that was when Saint Patrick turned to God for comfort ( Catholic Online ) . About six old ages subsequently, he had a dream that he would return to Britain. Sing this as a mark from God to state him to get away from bondage, he did so ( Jones ) . In order to return place he had to take a ship. He traveled on pes over two 100 stat mis to make a ship that was nearing going. The ship traveled for three yearss, until they found land. They so traveled on pes for a month or so until their commissariats were gone, and there was no nutrient to be found ( Attwater 613 ) . The captain of the ship asked Saint Patrick, “ What have you to state for yourself, Christian? You boast that your God is almighty. So why ca n’t you pray for usaˆ¦it ‘s beginning to look as if we may non last to see another life psyche ” ( O’Keeffe ) . Saint Patrick merely replied, “ Turn trustfully to the Lord who is my Godaˆ¦because nil is impossible to Him. On this same twenty-four hours, He will direct us nutrient sufficient for our journey, because for Him there is copiousness everyplace ” ( O’Keeffe ) . Suddenly, they saw hogs barricading their way, and the crew rapidly killed and cooked the hogs for them to eat ( O’Keeffe ) . Soon, after being off from his people for about six old ages, he eventually reached “ place, ” most likely in Gaul. They welcomed him heartily and told him non to go forth them once more ( Attwater 613-614 ) .
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He studied for several old ages in Europe to go a bishop. He became a bishop and so was sent to Ireland to change over the Irish to Christianity ( Jones ) . Ireland was populated by Druids at that clip. Druids were heathen spiritual leaders in Ireland. He had to execute many miracles in order to demo God ‘s worthiness to the Irish and turn out the Druids wrong ( Delaney 447 ) . One of his miracles in Ireland was the banishing of the serpents in Ireland. Christine O’Keeffe ‘s “ Legends of Saint Patrick ” states that “ serpents ” is a metaphor for Druids and alternatively of driving serpents out of Ireland he really drove all the Druids out of Ireland ( O’Keeffe ) . After many miracles and 33 old ages of work, he successfully converted about all of Ireland to Christianity ( Jones ) . Saint Patrick non merely evangelized Ireland, he besides raised the criterions of scholarship and encouraged the survey of Latin ( Delaney 447 ) . Saint Patrick most likely died in Ireland around 461 A.D. ( Jones ) .
Saint Patrick is known worldwide as the saint of Ireland, but he is the saint of much more. His backings include applied scientists, excluded people, ophidiophobics ( people who have a fright of serpents ) and Nigeria. He is the frequenter saint against serpents and snake bites. Saint Patrick is besides the frequenter saint of many bishoprics. For illustration he is the frequenter saint of the bishoprics of New York City, New York ; Ottawa, Ontario ; Erie, Pennsylvania ; and the archdioceses of Norwich, Connecticut ; Dromore, Ireland and Burlington, Vermont. His representations include the white clover, serpents, the cross, harps, devils, baptismal founts, purgatory, a bishop driving serpents before him, and a bishop treading serpents. Saint Patrick ‘s Feast twenty-four hours is on March 17 ( Jones ) . His Feast Day is on March 17 because that was when Saint Patrick is believed to hold died ( Catholic Online ) .
Saint Patrick was canonized before the establishment of the modern probes performed by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints ( Jones ) . Before the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, saints were canonized by local bishops, archpriests, or patriarchs. Due to being canonized before the establishment of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, the day of the month on which he was canonized is unavailable.
Saint Patrick is besides known as the Apostle of Ireland, Maewyn Succat, Patricius, and Patrizio. Succat was Saint Patrick ‘s heathen birth name, and it means militant. Patricius was Saint Patrick ‘s baptismal name and it means baronial ( Jones ) .
Harmonizing to Jones, St. Patrick provinces in his Confession, “ I came to the Irish people to prophesy the Gospel and digest the twits of disbelievers, seting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrim’s journey, enduring many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others. If I am worthy, I am ready besides to give up my life, without vacillation and most volitionally, for Christ ‘s name. I want to pass myself for that state, even in decease, if the Lord should allow me this favour. It is among those people that I want to wait for the promise made by Him, who assuredly ne’er tells a prevarication. He makes this promise in the Gospel: ‘They shall come from the E and West and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ‘ This is our religion: trusters are to come from the whole universe, ” ( Jones ) . This statement by Saint Patrick sums up what I admire about him: I admire his bravery to return to Ireland and change over the Irish to Christianity ; I admire his fortitude to stand up for God and what he believes in no affair what the effects ; and I admire his piousness, or his love of God.
In difficult times we turn to God for aid and comfort. If Saint Patrick was n’t a slave in Ireland he would n’t hold turned to God. When Saint Patrick turned to God he became a new individual, and little did he cognize that he would alter the class of history. If he had n’t converted Ireland to Christianity so he would non hold become a saint, and the people of today would n’t observe Saint Patrick ‘s Day.
Work Cited
Catholic Online. Saint Patrick. Catholic Online. Catholic.org. 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
Delaney, John J. Dictionary of Saints. New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc. , 1980. Print.
Jones, Terry H. Saint Patrick. Star Quest Production Network. Saints.sqpn.com. 9 Aug. 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2010
O’Keeffe, Christine. Legends of Saint Patrick. Tartan Place. Tartanplace.com. 18 Feb. 2004. Web. 15 Jan. 2010.
“ Saint Patrick. ” Butler ‘s Lifes of Saints. Attwater, Donald, and Herbert Thurston S.J. Vol. 1. New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1963. Print.
