Who was St Patrick?

March 17 is St Patrick’s Day – Ireland’s national day and a huge worldwide celebration. But who was Saint Patrick and what are some of the legends connected with this man? Read on and find out…

St Patrick was a preacher who brought Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century and he is considered Ireland’s patron saint. St Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 – the day of the saint’s death. Most of the facts about Patrick’s life are known from two of his letters which survive to this day as well as from later histories and chronicles.

Patrick was likely born in Britain, possibly to a priest’s family, but at the age of 16 he was captured by Irish pirates and brought to Ireland as a slave. He then worked as a herdsman and spent six years in Ireland tending sheep. In one of his letters Patrick wrote that his faith grew in captivity and that he prayed every day. After six years he finally managed to escape, found a ship and after various adventures returned to his family in Britain.

But a few years after coming home Patrick had a vision. He writes:

“I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: “The Voice of the Irish”. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea – and they cried out, as with one voice: “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.””

After having this vision Patrick decided to return to Ireland and to bring Christianity to the people of that land. He arrived in Ireland, mostly pagan at that time, and baptised thousands of people, converting many wealthy people and even sons of kings. He also ordained priests to serve the new Christian communities.

Patrick is generally believed to have become the first bishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland. He died on March 17, 460 AD and his body is buried in Downpatrick in county Down (Northern Ireland).

St Patrick and the shamrock

According to a popular legend, it was Saint Patrick who made the shamrock a symbol of Ireland. The story goes that Patrick was teaching the Irish about the Holy Trinity by showing the people the shamrock – a three-leafed plant. The plant was meant to illustrate how three entities (The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit) could be part of one whole (God). For this reason shamrock became the main symbol of St Patrick’s Day and then Ireland itself.

St Patrick banishes all snakes from Ireland

Another popular legend connected with St Patrick states that he banished all snakes from the country, chasing them into the sea after they attacked him during a 40-day fast he was undertaking on top of a hill. However, most biologists believe that Ireland never had snakes to begin with, so there was really nothing for St Patrick to banish. Some historians say that the legend involving St Patrick and snakes is actually symbolic (not meant to be understood literally) and refers to St Patrick banishing pagan beliefs from Ireland rather than real snakes.