The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of
Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn,
and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he
lacked the required scholarship.
Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a
pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish
marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became
closer to God.
He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he
studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a
period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that
his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity.
His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans
to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius.
But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick,
having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as
second bishop to Ireland.
Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact
upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but
escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing
monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches
which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to
Christianity.
His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time,
Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That
day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.
Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is
actually substantiated.
Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people
from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a
hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Of course, no
snakes were ever native to Ireland, and some people think this is a
metaphor for the conversion of the pagans. Though originally a
Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a
secular holiday.
One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems
from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the
three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his
sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His
followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast
day.
