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Surely it is one of history's greatest ironies that the mancredited with converting Ireland to Christianity was English.
That man is Maewyn Succat. Born around 400 AD,Maewyn lived his early life under the supervision of his wealthyparents in England, most likely near Carlisle.3 Although hisfather was a Christian deacon, there is no evidence that hisfamily was particularly religious. Indeed, it has been suggestedthat the deacon probably became such for tax reasons.
Sometime in his teens, Maewyn was kidnapped bymarauding raiders and transported to Ireland. There he washeld captive for six years, and worked as a shepherd. His workwas solitary and outdoors, and so it is suggested that at thispoint he turned to religion for solace.
Certainly, by the time of his first vision--alerting him tothe presence of a ship and possible escape route some 200 milesaway-he had become a devout Christian. 8 "Your hungers are rewarded," avoice soothed9. "You are going home."
After his escape to Britain, Maewyn reported his second revelation.He witnessed a dream in which a friend held out letters from the Irish people,pleading with him to return "as a missionary." Almost immediately, heembarked on a 15-year bout of religious training, the culmination of whichsaw him ordained the St. Patrick,
Patrick returned to Ireland a bishop. Contrary to the popular notionthat he single-handedly introduced Christianity to Ireland, he seemed tohave a dual mission: minister to a small number of extant Christians, andconvert the pagan majority.
Nevertheless, Ireland was tough terrain. Her people warredconstantly with each other, were renowned as the great slave traders of theday.
"Only a very tough man could have hoped to survive those people ,"as one biographer, Thomas Cahill, has written. "I don't mean to say hewasn't a saint-he was a great saint-but he was a very rough, vigorousman."17
Patrick was amongst the first human beings in history, for example,to speak out unequivocally against slavery. Also, Patrick lauded thestrength and courage of women. "The Lord gives grace to his manyhandmaids," he wrote, "and though they are forbidden to do so, theyfollow him with backbone."
Moreover, Patrick often incorporated native Irish beliefs into histeachings. The sun, a powerful Irish symbol, was superimposed ontothe Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross.
St. Patrick died on March 1 7. That day has been commemorated asSt. Patrick's Day ever since. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St.Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. And the Irishhas taken it as partoftheir national tradition in everywhere they populated.The Catholic feast day for this most loved Irish saint has become a nationalholiday in celebration of the Irish culture.
One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems froman Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explainthe Trinity.27 His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock onhis feast day.
St. Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish:anything green, shamrocks and good luck.
Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green,and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become sopopular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring.One might say it has become the first green of spring.
That man is Maewyn Succat. Born around 400 AD,Maewyn lived his early life under the supervision of his wealthyparents in England, most likely near Carlisle.3 Although hisfather was a Christian deacon, there is no evidence that hisfamily was particularly religious. Indeed, it has been suggestedthat the deacon probably became such for tax reasons.
Sometime in his teens, Maewyn was kidnapped bymarauding raiders and transported to Ireland. There he washeld captive for six years, and worked as a shepherd. His workwas solitary and outdoors, and so it is suggested that at thispoint he turned to religion for solace.
Certainly, by the time of his first vision--alerting him tothe presence of a ship and possible escape route some 200 milesaway-he had become a devout Christian. 8 "Your hungers are rewarded," avoice soothed9. "You are going home."
After his escape to Britain, Maewyn reported his second revelation.He witnessed a dream in which a friend held out letters from the Irish people,pleading with him to return "as a missionary." Almost immediately, heembarked on a 15-year bout of religious training, the culmination of whichsaw him ordained the St. Patrick,
Patrick returned to Ireland a bishop. Contrary to the popular notionthat he single-handedly introduced Christianity to Ireland, he seemed tohave a dual mission: minister to a small number of extant Christians, andconvert the pagan majority.
Nevertheless, Ireland was tough terrain. Her people warredconstantly with each other, were renowned as the great slave traders of theday.
"Only a very tough man could have hoped to survive those people ,"as one biographer, Thomas Cahill, has written. "I don't mean to say hewasn't a saint-he was a great saint-but he was a very rough, vigorousman."17
Patrick was amongst the first human beings in history, for example,to speak out unequivocally against slavery. Also, Patrick lauded thestrength and courage of women. "The Lord gives grace to his manyhandmaids," he wrote, "and though they are forbidden to do so, theyfollow him with backbone."
Moreover, Patrick often incorporated native Irish beliefs into histeachings. The sun, a powerful Irish symbol, was superimposed ontothe Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross.
St. Patrick died on March 1 7. That day has been commemorated asSt. Patrick's Day ever since. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St.Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. And the Irishhas taken it as partoftheir national tradition in everywhere they populated.The Catholic feast day for this most loved Irish saint has become a nationalholiday in celebration of the Irish culture.
One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems froman Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explainthe Trinity.27 His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock onhis feast day.
St. Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish:anything green, shamrocks and good luck.
Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green,and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become sopopular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring.One might say it has become the first green of spring.