Who was St. Patrick?
As our corned beef and cabbage is simmering on the stove and the Irish soda bread is filling the house with amazing aromas, have you ever thought about who really was St. Patrick? Was there a St. Patrick or is he like the little green leprechaun we see after drinking too much Jameson? He was a real person who was born late in the 4th century AD.
As we celebrate him today, did you know who he was? Here are some interesting facts about St. Patrick, that might make you a winner on trivia night.
He was born in Britain - yes he wasn’t Irish by birth.
His grandfather was a priest (yup you read that correctly) and his father was a deacon.
His birth name was Maewyn Succat
He arrived in Ireland at 16 years old as a slave.
He traveled across Europe studying Christianity and once ordained returned to Ireland.
Patrick’s mission in Ireland was twofold. He was to minister to the Christians who already existed in Ireland, as well as to convert the Irish who were not yet believers.
He bridged the gap between widely held pagan beliefs and Christianity, such as using bonfires to celebrate Easter and creating the Celtic cross, which incorporated pagan symbols, to make it seem more appealing to venerate. (bet you’ll never look at a Celtic cross the same ever again!)
He probably didn’t banish the snakes from Ireland. Ireland probably never had snakes in the first place: it would have been too cold. Indeed, the only reptile found in Ireland is the common lizard.
Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. The shamrock was also supposed to have symbolized the regenerative power of nature.
Was he a Saint?? Although he was never formally canonized (he lived before the current laws of the Catholic Church with regards to this), he has been venerated as a saint, the ‘Apostle of Ireland’, since the 7th century.
Blue vs Green? Today we associate St Patrick – and Ireland – with the color green, he was originally depicted wearing blue robes.
American Parade- The first definite St Patrick’s Day parade dates back to 1737, in Boston, Massachusetts, although new evidence suggests there may have been a St Patrick’s Day parade as early as 1601 in Spanish Florida.
Buried? Several sites fight for the right to call themselves St Patrick’s burial place, but the short answer is no one knows exactly where he is buried. Down Cathedral is the most widely accepted location – alongside Ireland’s other saints, Brigid and Columba – although there’s no hard evidence.
Maybe the Irish folklore is correct and St. Patrick never died, he just lives on forever in Ireland keeping his people safe from snakes.
Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!” (Happy St. Patrick’s Day)
Comments