Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-13
The PATRON SAINT OF IRELAND

we could not get along without him.
The 18th of March has become popular
for "wearin' o. the green" not only
with the Irish, who claim Saint Patrick
for their patron saint, but for all ma
tionalities. Everyone in America
wears the shamrock of Ireland on the
day given over to Saint Patrick.
There is no doubt but that Saint
Patrick actually lived but his real
birth and life are so involved in myth
and legend that it is difficult to ex-
tricate the real man and his real deeds
from the miraculous and impossible
things ascribed to him.
He is popularity said to have been
born in Wales, and that his name
Patrick was given him by Pope
Celestine when he consecrated Patrick
and sent him to Ireland to convert the
Irish in 432. He was converted as a
youth by British monks and was sent
there to establish a mission where his
predecessor had failed.
This story conflicts with Saint
Patrick's own confession of having had
visions and hearing voices In one of
these visions he claimed to have seen
a figure bearing epistles, one of wnlch
was given him. 1t began with, Holy
youth, the voice of the Irish cry to you
to come and walk among them.' A
Ireland
Another interesting story of Saint
Patrick tells of his wandering about
the country. In one of these wander
ings he came to a house in which he
found a young married couple and an
extremely decrepit old woman. The
young man informed him that the
aged woman was his great-grand-
daughter. Many years before that time
Christ, in the guise of pilgrim, mad
left his staff there, the potency OF
which continued to preserve the life
and youth of all who were alive at that
time. though their children grew old
and died like others. The youth offered
Patrick the magic staff but he refused
it, unless ii were given him by Christ
himself. He was then led into noun
tain, where Christ met him, gave him
the staff and ordered him to go TO
ireland. This Patrick did. He was a
divinely authorized British pope. the
outcome of this early independence OF
the Irish church was wonderful. SAINT
patrick was the Irish Moses of his
people.
Notwithstanding the various stories
of his having been sent to Ireland, they
all agree upon the one fact of his
having arrived there, and to this we
owe the association of the shamrock
with the day. When Patrick landed
near Wicklow the inhabitants were
ready TO stone him for attempting an
innovation of the religion of their an
cestors. He continued to preach the
gospel. and illustrated the doctrine or
the Trinity by showing them the three
leaf clover-three in one.
Saint Patrick accomplished a Won
derful amount of good. The real ac-
complishments are badly mixed with
the miraculous deeds which are at
tributed to him. The driving of the
snakes out of Ireland is a popular
story i'm connection with this venerable
saint. The story runs that he took the
witches, sorcerers and snakes or the
country to the top of mountain ana
chased them all into the sea. Inc
more Intelligent people of the country
give no credence to this story but
saint Patrick by his piety and preach
inc did exercise devils and Internal
shirts that may be called serpents,
and most likely the legend was pase
upon this fact, though several stories
are given in connection with 1T.
The church of Rome did not Tor "a
long time give Saint Patrick much
recognition. but the Irish people always
yenerated him, and in time the church
of Rome reaped what he had soWn.
While history and mythology mas
Patrick born in a variety of Cites
his burial place seems to be unknown.
There Is no doubt but that he was
forceful character. He was stroIs
enough to lead his people out OF the