St. Patrick

[Father Bill]

Also known as •Apostle of Ireland •Maewyn Succat •Patricius •Patrizio

Kidnapped from the British mainland around age 16, and shipped to Ireland as a slave. Sent to the mountains as a shepherd, he spent his time in the field in prayer. After six years of this life, he received had a dream in which he was commanded to return to Britain; seeing it as a sign, he escaped. He studied in several monasteries in Europe.

Priest. Bishop.

Sent by Pope Celestine to evangelize England, then Ireland, during which his chariot driver was St Odran, and St Jarlath was one of his spiritual students. In 33 years he effectively converted Ireland.

In the Middle Ages Ireland became known as the Land of Saints, and during the Dark Ages its monasteries were the great repositories of learning in Europe, all a consequence of Patrick’s ministry.

Born between 387 and 390 at Scotland as Maewyn Succat
Died between 461 and 464 at Saul, County Down, Ireland of natural causes
Canonized Pre-Congregation

Name Meaning warlike (Succat – pagan birth name); noble (Patricius – baptismal name)

Patronage •against fear of snakes •against ophidiophobia •against snake bites •against snakes •barbers •barrel makers •blacksmiths •cattle •coopers •engineers •excluded people •hairdressers •miners •ophidiophobics •— •Ireland •Nigeria (1961) •Adelaide, Australia, archdiocese of •Armagh, Ireland, archdiocese of •Auckland, New Zealand, diocese of •Ballarat, Australia, diocese of •Boston, Massachusetts, archdiocese of •Burlington, Vermont, diocese of •Cape Town, South Africa, archdiocese of •Dromore, Ireland, diocese of •El Paso, Texas, diocese of •Erie, Pennsylvania, diocese of •Fort Worth, Texas, diocese of •Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, diocese of •Kilmore, Ireland, diocese of •Macerata-Tolentino-Recanati-Cingoli-Treia, Italy, diocese of •Madison, Wisconsin, diocese of •Melbourne, Australia, archdiocese of •Mymensingh, Bangladesh, diocese of •New York, New York, archdiocese of •Newark, New Jersey, archdiocese of •Norwich, Connecticut, diocese of •Ottawa, Ontario, archdiocese of •Peterborough, Ontario, diocese of •Poona, India, diocese of •Port Elizabeth, South Africa, diocese of •Portland, Maine, diocese of •Rapid City, South Dakota, diocese of •Sacramento, California, diocese of •Saint John, New Brunswick, diocese of •Thunder Bay, Ontario, diocese of •— •Loiza, Puerto Rico
Prayers •Prayer for the Faithful •Prayer for God’s Protection and Christ’s Presence
Representation •baptismal font •demons •harp •bishop driving snakes before him •bishop trampling on snakes •snakes •cross •Purgatory •serpent •shamrock

Just thought some folks might want to know!

[Richrail]

I just finished reading "How the Irish Saved Civilization:The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe (The Hinges of History) by Thomas Cahill. Fastening read and learned a lot about St. Patrick.

[Father Bill]

Well, as the 17th spreads around the globe, it ocurred to me that there might be a few folks who would like a wee bit more background.

[GrainReaper]

I am named on my birth certificate as "Padraig John" but at some point very early in my life I magically became "Patrick John" I never even knew this until I married and needed a copy of my birth certificate for records. Nobody in my family recalls why or when it happened.. I knew I was named after the Saint but never knew My name was also spelled the same.

The things I learn...

[tulloch]

That's good to see. Thanks for posting that. So he was well before Columba. I'd been wondering that. Columba lived in the 6th century.