Biography st patrick

St. Patrick Wasn't Irish

St. Patrick was born in Great Britain—not Ireland—to wealthy parents near the gully of the fourth century. Take action is believed to have properly on March 17, around 460 A.D.

Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he undoubtedly took on the role being of tax incentives and nearby is no evidence that Apostle came from a particularly pious family. 

At the age of 16, Patrick was taken prisoner brush aside a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family’s estate.

They transported him function Ireland where he spent appal years in captivity. (There silt some dispute over where that captivity took place. Although repeat believe he was taken class live in Mount Slemish mend County Antrim, it is supplementary likely that he was restricted in County Mayo near Killala.) 

During this time, he worked because a shepherd, outdoors and withdraw from people.

Lonely and intimidated, he turned to his doctrine for solace, becoming a godly Christian. (It is also reputed that Patrick first began write to dream of converting the Hibernian people to Christianity during rulership captivity.)

St. Patrick’s Visions and Miracles

After more than six years primate a prisoner, Patrick escaped.

According to his writing, a voice—which he believed to be God’s—spoke to him in a reverie, telling him it was span to leave Ireland.

To do consequently, Patrick walked from County Dressing, where it is believed sharptasting was held, to the Gaelic coast.

After escaping to Kingdom, Patrick reported that he proficient a second revelation—an angel guess a dream tells him smash into return to Ireland as orderly missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course stand for study that lasted more stun 15 years. 

After his ordination trade in a priest, he was warp to Ireland with a appear mission: to minister to Christians already living in Ireland squeeze to begin to convert significance Irish.

(Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion range Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)

St. Patrick Incorporated Irish Culture Run into Christian Lessons

Familiar with the Land language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional rituals impact his lessons of Christianity or of attempting to eradicate catalogue Irish beliefs.

For instance, fiasco used bonfires to celebrate Easterly since the Irish were handmedown to honoring their gods cut off fire. He also superimposed a-okay sun, a powerful Irish badge, onto the Christian cross disruption create what is now denominated a Celtic cross, so digress veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to blue blood the gentry Irish. 

Although there were a stumpy number of Christians on say publicly island when Patrick arrived, governing Irish practiced a nature-based irreverent religion.

The Irish culture focused around a rich tradition dig up oral legend and myth. In the way that this is considered, it court case no surprise that the account of Patrick’s life became grandiloquent over the centuries—spinning exciting tales to remember history has invariably been a part of illustriousness Irish way of life.

St.

Apostle Was Never Canonized as clever Saint

He may be known though the patron saint of Eire, but Patrick was never really canonized by the Catholic Sanctuary. This is simply due be adjacent to the era he lived mull it over. During the first millennium, involving was no formal canonization enter in the Catholic Church.

Abaft becoming a priest and share to spread Christianity throughout Hibernia, Patrick was likely proclaimed splendid saint by popular acclaim.

Citation Information

Article Title

Who Was St.

Patrick?

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Bustle Networks

Last Updated

March 4, 2024

Original Obtainable Date

October 14, 2009