St Patrick is the most popular saint in the secular world today, but few know of his story.
St Patrick was born in Scotland near Dumbarton in Kilpatrick in the year 385 AD. Born to Roman parents who were living in the new Roman colony, at age fourteen, Patrick was captured by a raiding party and taken to Ireland. Put to work as a slave, Patrick would tend and herd sheep. While he was there, he would learn the local culture and languages, from the mostly Druid and pagan peoples. Patrick would find solitude in the woods and time to pray. Later he would write of this time:
"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same." "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."
Patrick would have a dream where God would tell him to go to the coast to escape Ireland at the age of twenty. Finally being back at his home, he reunited with his family. Patrick would have another dream, but in this dream he would hear the people of Ireland calling out to him saying, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more."
Patrick would decide to study and enter the priesthood. Eventually, Patrick would be ordained a Bishop and get sent by Pope Celestine to go back to Ireland. Upon arriving in Ireland on the coast at Slane on March 25th, 433 AD, he was met by a tribe leader named Dichu. The chieftan tried to kill Patrick, but when he tried to raise his hand against Patrick, he couldn't. Eventually he would become friendly to Patrick and believe the message he brought, and be converted.
Patrick would convert many people, including Kings and Queens to Christianity, while building churches in all the areas he went. Patrick is most associated with the shamrock - because it is the tool he used to explain the Trinity to the people he preached to.
Christ shield me this day:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me
- Saint Patrick, from his breastplate | |
