Patrick Of Ireland

Patrick of Ireland, known more popularly as St. Patrick, was technically British by birth and blood but who is famous for bringing Christianity to Ireland. Despite his origins lying on the English isle, Patrick is forever bound to Ireland and her people and he is hands down the most popular Irish Saint the world over. 
AKA: St. Patrick.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick
== Facts: ==
-While not the first Christian to set foot on Irish soil, Patrick is the heavyweight in the history of Irish evangelism and he is credited as being the first Primate of Ireland and Bishop of Armagh. He was brought to Ireland originally as a teenager, taken prisoner by Irish pirates, but he later escaped and ended up returning when he had a prophetic dream where the souls of Ireland called out to him to bring the good news of Christianity to the Emerald Island. 
-March 17th is the Feast Day of St. Patrick and is celebrated with equal parts prayer and drinking.
-In traditional hagiographic writings, Patrick's real name was 'Patricius,' which translated into modern English is 'Patrick.'
-During his time in Ireland, Patrick is said to have performed many miracles, not least of which was the driving out of all snakes from the island. Whether or not this story was meant to be literal or symbolic is up for interpretation but it is persistent in the mythos of St. Patrick. 
-St. Patrick is credited with using the three-leaf clover to teach the concept of the Trinity, forever binding Ireland with the symbolism of clover. 
-According to tradition, after arriving back in Ireland as a Christian missionary, Patrick spent several years traveling about, converting the people. He is said to have undergone many trials, including being tempted (or attacked) by bands of evil spirits in various forms. He fought pagan Magicks and confronted the druid priests during Samhain by lighting a fire on a hill when all fires were legally extinguished during the night. 
-St. Patrick's confrontation with the druids is particularly poignant for it symbolizes the point when Ireland shifted from pagan to Christian. During the night of Samhain all lights were to be extinguished, since Samhain was the time when darkness reigned and the world of the living and the dead were closest. By lighting a fire to symbolize the enlightening truth of Christianity, Patrick was challenging not just the druids but the darkness of paganism as he saw it. 
-Patrick went on to become an important member in the Fenian Brotherhood, whose following soon eclipsed and largely replaced the pagan members of the Chapter. 
Category:Church
Category:Fenian Brotherhood
Category:Celtic