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St
Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland. True,
he was not a born Irish.
But he has become an integral part of the Irish
heritage, mostly through
his service across Ireland of the 5th century.
Patrick was born in the later half of the 4th century
AD.
There are differing views about the exact year and place
of his birth.
According to one school of opinion, he was born about
390 A.D.,
while the other school says it is about 373 AD. Again,
his birth place
is said to be in either Scotland or Roman England.
His real name was probably Maewyn Succat.
Though Patricius was his Romanicized name,
he was later came to be familiar as Patrick.
Patrick
was the son of Calpurnius, a Roman-British army officer.
He was growing up as naturally as other kids in
Britain. However, one day
a band of pirates landed in south Wales and kidnapped
this boy
along with many others. Then they sold him into
slavery in Ireland.
The was there for 6 years, mostly imprisoned.
This was when changes came to him. He dreamed of
having seen God.
Legend says, he was then dictated by God to escape with
a getaway ship.
Finally, he did escape and went to Britain. And then to
France.
There he joined a monastery and studied under St.
Germain,
the bishop of Auxerre. He spent around 12 years in
training.
And when he became a bishop he dreamed that the Irish
were calling him
back to Ireland to tell them about God.
The Confessio, Patrick's spiritual autobiography, is the
most important
document regarding this. It tells of a dream after his
return to Britain,
in which one Victoricus delivered him a letter headed
"The Voice of the Irish."
So
he set out for Ireland with the Pope's blessings. There
he converted
the Gaelic Irish, who were then mostly Pagans, to
Christianity. He was
confident in the Lord, he journeyed far and wide,
baptizing and confirming
with untiring zeal. And, in a diplomatic fashion
he brought gifts to
a kinglet here and a lawgiver there, but
accepted none from any.
Indeed, Patrick was quite successful at winning
converts.
Through active preaching, he made important converts
even
among the royal families. And this fact upset the Celtic
Druids.
Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped
each time.
For 20 years he had traveled throughout Ireland,
establishing monasteries across the country.
He also set up schools and churches
which would aid him in his conversion.
He developed a native clergy,
fostered the growth of monasticism,
established dioceses, and held church councils.
Patrick's
doctrine is considered orthodox
and has been interpreted as anti-Pelagian.
Although he is not particularly noted as a man of
learning,
a few of his writings remain extant:
his Confession, a reply to his detractors, and
several letters.
The Lorica ("Breastplate"), a famous
hymn attributed to Patrick,
may date to a later period.
By the end of the 7th century Patrick had become a
legendary figure,
and the legends have continued to grow since then.
There are many legends associated with St Patrick.
It is said that he used the three-leafed shamrock
to explain the concept of the Trinity;
which refers to the combination of
Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Hence its strong association with his day and name.
Legend also has that,
Saint Patrick had put the curse of God on venomous
snakes in Ireland.
And he drove all the snakes into the sea where they
drowned.
True,
these are mostly legends. But, after some 1500 years,
these legends have been inseparably combined with the
facts.
And together they have helped us know
much about the Saint and the spirit behind celebration
of the day.
Patrick's mission in Ireland lasted for over 20 years.
He died on March 17, AD 461.
That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever
since.
The day's spirit is to celebrate the universal
baptization of Ireland.
Though originally a Catholic holy day,
St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular
holiday.
Or, rather, 'be an Irish Day '.
And the Irish has borne it as part of their
national tradition in
everywhere they populated and prospered.
The Catholic feast day for this most loved of Irish
saints has become a holiday in celebration of the Irish
and Irish culture. The leprechaun, a Celtic fairy, has
become entrenched as a chief symbol for this holiday, as
is the shamrock, an ancient symbol for the triple
goddess Brigit. It is fitting that this holiday should
fall at the time of the year when the return of spring
begins to seem at hand.
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