" Bishop, Apostle to Ireland "

Saint Patrick was known as the "Apostle to Ireland ", and its Patron. He was born about 389 AD of British - Roman origin. His father was a deacon and public official. His grandfather was a priest, who was not at his time under the law of celibacy which imposed later on Western clergy.

When he was  sixteen, he was carried off among others into captivity by Irish raiders and was sold as a slave to a master in the territory of the present county of Antrim in Ireland. For six years he endured the hardship of tending the livestock of his pagan master. He attributed the suffering of his bondage to his lax religious practice. He tells us that he "knew not the true God", not heeding much the advise of his religious family, and the warning of the clergy "who used to admonish us for our salvation". Amid the bodily hardships of this bondage he marvelously grew spiritually, both in closeness to God and in Christian maturity. He learned to depend on God, an developed a life of prayer. In his confession, he relates that while tending the flocks he prayed many times, as many as a " hundred prayers in a single day, and in the night nearly the same". " The love of God", he added, and his fear increased in me more and more".

In the ways of a gracious providence the six years of St. Patrick's slavery was a preparation for a great mission in Ireland. He acquired the knowledge of the Celtic tongue to communicate, and became familiar with the details of the Irish culture, not having the slightest idea that he will be their future liberator.  Freed or fled after six years he traveled near starvation to the west where he found a ship, allowed him on board reluctantly by his prayers. Back in Britain at twenty one years old, he set a devoted heart to serve the Lord. Then, he joined two monasteries in France where he mastered the spiritual disciplines and training for the priesthood.

One night he had a vision and heard a voice crying in Irish, " We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk once more among us." St . Patrick was convinced  that he had a divine commission to establish the church in Ireland. In or about 432, he returned to Ireland as a bishop, a successor to Palladius, the first bishop. He traversed the country, converting people, building churches and performing miracles. He established his see at Armagh, where he also founded a school. St. Patrick continued until his death in 461 to visit and watch over the churches he had founded in all Ireland. It is said that he consecrated no less than 350 bishops. Several places in Ireland were named after him.

The simple explanation of the Trinity with the use of a shamrock was his historical mark, which spread world wide. His People celebrate his feast day on March 17 wearing of the green, the shamrock color ,and parades.

1st    2nd    3rd    4th    5th    6th    7th    8th    9th    10th    11th    12th    13th    14th    15th    16th    17th    18th    19th    20th