The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-17
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

4, ST. ia on " ENiEENTH OF MARCH. This
Is Saint Patrick's day, and it is worth
while that we should remember it.
MANY people think he was an Irishman:
Dut mere Is his entire history. Saint
Iati,cK was born A. d. 1873, in Bonavem.
village of North Brittany, in Gaul,
wherein was fort called, by st. Fiach.
Hoiy Tower. His parents were respec-
taoie; his father was Calpurnius, dea-
con, son of Potitus, priest, both having
received holy orders with the consent Of
their wives. His mother was Conchesa
SAID to be niece of st. Martin of Tours
Ills brother was Sannanus, and his sis
ters were Lupita, Tigris, Lemania.
Clhne-naomh, and Darerca. The name
ne received at his baptism was Succath.
OF .lortis IN peilo," as some will have it,
rope Ceiestlne gave him the name Pa
tTicius, or noble" He was admired by
all Who knew him, for his mildness and
purity OF morals. He was brought to
Ireland captive, in the reign of Mall
the 0reat, In the sixteenth year of his
age, ana sold slave to Milcho, a petty
prince OF Dalradie, in Ulster, who gave
MN the care OF his fiocks at the foot of
Siieve.Mis, where he had an opportu-
nity OF learning the language, and ha-
pituatlng himself to the customs of the
country According to his own and ST
flarchs account, he prayed many times
during the day, and as often at night.
the severity OF the frost, snow, or rain.
never prevented him from performing
his duty to his god. In the seventh wear
OF his captivity, being warned. in n
dream, to return to his own country. he
accordingly set off, and reached the sea-
shore Mt R1ptrU Paw In,
there was vessel ready to sail. The
captain at first refused, but afterwards
consented to receive him. After three
days voyage he arrived in Aquitania. i'm
France, and thence proceeded to Brit
tany, his native country, where he ar
rived, completely exhausted with hunger
and fatigue, from travelling twenty.eight
days throughdeserts. Having remain
ed some time at home, it appeared to
him in u dream, that he saw man from
Ireland, handing him number of let
tiers, one Of which he read, commencing
with the words 'Vox Hibernicorum.b
While reading the letter. he thought be
heard the voice of the inhabitants of
Foclut, Il forest in Tyrawley, in the
County Mayo, entreating him to go
among them, which affected him so
much that he awoke. Moved by this
vision, he resolved to prepare himself
for the conversion of the island. He
accordingly went to the celebrated mon
astery, near Tours, where he received
the habit and tonsure from ST. Martin,
bishop of that city, and uncle to his
mother, COlchessa. Having spent some
time at Tours, ST. Martin having died,
he thence went to Rome, and joined the
regulars of st. John of Lateran, where
he acquired great knowledge of eccesi-
astical nature and mOnastic discipline.
He was afterwards induced to go to
Auxerre, to visit st. German, bishop of
that place, to learn of him, by virtue
and example, how to conduct his inn
portant undertaking. He afterwards
went to tue Convent of Lerins, where
he spent nine years, and then returned
to Auxerre, where, having heard of the
death of Palladius, he repaired to Rome,
and was consecrated bishop of all Ire
land by Pope Celestine and in the year
following, being the first of Pope Sixtus,
attended by twenty priests for the Irish
mission, he visited st. German, who
made him presents of books, chalices,
and everything necessary for the Catho-
lie worship and ministry. Everything
for the voyage being ready, the saint set
sail. and arrived in "Cfioch-C uallan,"
in Leinster, now the County Wicklow.
This occurred in the fourth year of the
reign of Laoghare; there was besides
king in every province. The first con-
vert was Smell, of the royal race of the
kings of Leinster, who was afterwards
enrolled among the saints.
The saint was attacked by the Pagans
Mt Rath-Inbheir, at the mouth OF the
river BRAY, aud obliged to return to sea.
He reached Inis Phadruig, near Dublin,
where he rested, and thence sailed To
the Bay Of Dundrum, in the County
Down. Dichu, the lord of the place,
hearing that pirates entered his terri
tory. went out to repel them, but struck
at once with respect for st. Patrick, VINO
nreacbed to him the word of God, he
was baptized with all his family, and,
in gratitude to the saint, he gave MIN
his granary to serve as church, which
was called Sgiibol Phadruig
After this the saint set off to Cloneboy,
in Dalraidhe, 433. in Ulster, where his
old master Mlcho lived, in order to con-
vert him. But he would not be con-
yerted by one who was once MS slave,
and in a rage threw himself into IRE
that accidentally broke out in the house.
He was burnt with all his family, except
his son Gassact (who was after Bishop
of Granard, in the County OF LongforaJ
and his two daughters, called Euiefi-
as.n who became nuns in the Monastery
of Cluain- Broin; he visited Dichu on
his return, and thence having sailed Tor
Meath. he landed near Drogheda, at the
mouth of the river Boyne, where having
left his ship in the care of his nephew,
Lomau, he went to the general assembly
of the kingdom, at Tara, in order TO
preach the doctrine of CHRIST 10 the
nrinces. mobiles and Druids assembled Oh
the occasion. .;
On his way he met the lord of terri
tory in Meath, who was baptized WIN
all Ms family, and whose sou, Benighus,
was afterwards Archbishop OF Ardlnach.
The saint, on his arrival at Slane, near
Tara the day before Easter kindled tiie
Paschal fire, which alarmed the Drulds,
who told the king that unless that NE
was extinguished, the person VINO
Eindle il would be master OF the lslallu.
The saint was accordingly summoned
before the king to account for his CON
duct with strict orders that none of the
assembly should salute him. Ere, son
of Dega, disregarding the kings orders'
salutei him, and was baptized, ana "a al
forwards became Bishop OF Siane. me
saini preached to the assembly, Whic.i
Iad the effect of converting Dnbhthacn
1Dnffy ! the kings arch-poet ana iofu'
who afterwards employed his talents III
;;,. ODD mud his saints. FleCn, MS