The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-17
ST. PATRICK,
THE APOSTLE OF FRELAN
The Saint and the Day.

The day, without exception. dearest to
the Irish heart is the l7tl of March. which
has been set apart for the commcmoration
of the virtues Of st. Patrick. 1t is no as
sumption to say that no nation has ever
accorded its patron saint such Eonors. The
love nn,l vcneration with which the Irish,
dispersed as they ore to-day throughout the
civilized world, regard the very maine OF
their glorious apostle has never been equal
led. 1t is Just now az warm md intense
as it was fourteen centuries ago, and con-
tury hence il will have experienced no di-
minution.
HIS LIFE AND WORKS.
According to most reliable authorities.
St. Patrick WAS born ut the close of the
fourth century in that part Of .lrmorc Gaul
near the present Boulogncsur-Mer. His
fathers name was Potitious, q man Of
wealth and Of q noble family; his mother 3
name was Couchessa, either sister or near
relative of st. Martin of Tours. Some au-
thoritics describe Conchessa as the niece
of St. Martin.
While yet mere youth st. Patrick was
twice reduced to slavery. lie was barely
sixteen when first made a captive and sold
to Miicho, under whom be served rs u swine
herd in the mountains of Sleamish, in the
roun.y of Antrim, north of Ireland. \
spot IS pointed out even Mt the present
time MS favorite resort Of this saint when
engaged in the holy work of prayer. With
out entering into any elaborate display nf
argument to prove the cXactnes- Of those
places TO he MI that popular tradition
ascribes them to be, We may only state that
even at the present hour they possess cha
racteristics favorable 10 the belief Of those
whose lives have been spent around them.
During our laat visit to Sleamish. remark
n contemporary writer, in company with 4
young Italian priest. we remember how en-
Enthusiastically the young Levite cried out
- believe, | know, that this is the vcr,
spot which st. Patrick .rod -
st. Patrick rcgninel his liberty, aml
fleeiu. to France, repaired to the monastcr,
of bis iluStriouo relative. St. Martin
where he spent four years preparing linn
self for the work which he lelt himself in
spirel by God to fultil-yiz., the conversion
Of the Iiish people from Paganism t'
Christianity. IN vision granted to hin
bv The power Of Col he ,ead Tie wordc
''Thc voice Of the Irish: nn1 nj the same
time lie heard the voice of that people cry
in.c or: ~ him Come and walk among
uf." After studying for come min" years
under s.. Houo:a!us and Maximus, lie. b}
the advice %! *. tiermanui, his director
proceeded to Rome. and there solicited am
obtained from POpc Celestine cuinLltsiun t'
-,f.rat.i, thn f.,s,,a1 i'm irpia nd
ilarpy, thrice blessed, day when Patrick
landed ut Stiargford, in 1872, and baptized
Dicilo. the CHIEF Of that district, in the
north Of 'rcland But happier far whci
lie visited Leo-aiEc. the Mouarcl of Ire
land, when assembled in the courtly ball:
Of Tara.
By the laws OF the country. 10 fire was Il
lie li@hich before the R,ol>inN"; or l'aal-
tire, but St. Patrick auG his companions
ainnun whom wa- Benignt$, lati determined
10 celebrate the Feast Of Easter, ntt ioi
thu. purpose lad pitched t';er tents and
li.tted .j."ir rc-. let III here rote ;nt
rc,iY Of the Druid pr.csts in answer to t;it
inquiry If tho king concerning this et!anrC
violation Gf Tie law: This fire, W!:ici
has now been knJlcd Lcfore our eyes, un
less ext lgui.h",i this very night, will mover
Lc cytingu;shcl throughout all time: NOR.
over Il will tower ever I'll fires of our an
cicnt rites, and hr whn li!hts it will ere long
scatter your ancient kiaglolu.' The king
was cnrncc,i. yet next dHy Patrick preached
in The halls IT Tara, and Leogaire lie
cat~>l @ Ii i better that should believe
than Tfl.
The Saint uey, VISITED Erci'ncy. now Tic
county of Cayan. where the worship al lie
crorl-cruach la large stone i,loll lu,i cx-
listed for centuries. When tn" Saint san
the ilcl hc pointed y, it with the stat Of
,icfus, and TIC iiol icll 10 the earth ncyc!
to riee again. After tragersing all Con
naurht Tor tic space cf seven years: E'
returned again t. Ulster. and i'll thc dis.
trics thcu knuwu by the name Of Nacha
received from BaiGc II grant Of land at q
place called Drum Sallech (the Hill OF
Sal!arus), upon which the ancient Cathe-
iral Of Armagh WIS erected.
!! is needless TO assure he reader that
the fine old cathedral wos los: 1T the time
of Henry md Elixahcth's = reformation
of Christs religion III Ireland. Elt tht
successor OF s.. Patrick. the lmtc Prina;t
Crollv, hid Tic foundation o' a new cithc.
lral, whi.l STANDS higher. and il even
uranlcr in point II architectural heIusF
than the old cathedral. What r strange
rcrifcafinn of tic WUids Of tho DrE,0
| priest at Tara.
s.. Pa,rick:s arostltSlip in Ireland laste.
nearly sixty years. During that time lt
built. or caused 10 hc built. II church Ioi
cycry day in lie Year. II" nl,n consccrntcd
ag ,na.,v bishops ai.rl rrlaInei nearly ',egt
pr;ests-ahout the same number I" be 'ouno
n Icland at the present day, 1t were 8
yrrv easy matter 10 give mnnE ana heant!-
| ful outlines of the holy life and career o.
St. Patrick. but where is the hand iii {;
| write the fantrst sketch Of the result Of HE
lai,ors ns manifested in the missionary CT
reer Of the Irish saints throughout '>u
ropa. or in the dispersion OF has chlldre!
| throughout the world.
No land ever produced such multitude
of saints anil scholars equal to Ireland
Not century passed by, from the dayt o.
Patrick down to the Introduction, or rather
ATTEMPTED introduction, Of hercsy into Ire
land without witnessing hosts Of lriSN
saints enrolled IL tie glorious history o.
the Church.
Itis, perhaps, true that no saint ever ha'
so many chui ches dedicated to his honoi
and Invocation equal to those named afte'
St. Patrick. No people 20 petsistentl}
and universally call their children a1te'
tho name of their patron saint like TN
Irish. Every Irish family has patrieS
and we have no reason 10 believe tilat th'
name is likely to die out sooner than tii'
globe itself.
THE CELEBRATION TO-DAY.
The Irish citizens of Richmond have
perfected arrangements for grand ceic
5ration to-day in honor of the Saint. w
rrnublish below the programme for the day
1t is requested by Captain William Eng
lii The Ihicf Marshal for the occ1s!on