The Truth About St. Patrick's Day

So many people in America hold St. Patrick's day sacred. I was amazed to learn the Irish themselves don't see this day as particularly spectacular, and therefore, do not celebrate it to the extent that Irish Americans do. Where did the tradition come from? What's the purpose behind the holiday? Was St. Patrick a real person? Some of the responses to these questions might surprise you.

According to www.bbc.co.uk (1) St. Patrick was a real person before he became the patron saint of Ireland. According to the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, Patrick was born around the year 387 AD, near Kilpatrick, Scotland. While his precise birthdate and place of birth are lost in the annals of time, we do know he came to Ireland at the age of 16 as a slave, captured by Irish invaders. His master became Milchu, a alleged Druid High Priest. In captivity he acquired a fluent tongue in Irish Gaelic and a broad understanding of the Druid faith. Some today believe Patrick (having been raised in a primarily pagan Scotland) was pagan himself prior to his enslavement, but, in his heart he felt betrayed by the pagan Gods and he prayed for salvation from his new Christian God. It is still debated if Patrick was his birth name, some believe his birth name was Maewyn Succat, changing it to Patrick when he was named Bishop. (1)

In his "Confessio" that during his years as a slave he prayed many times a day...."{and his] fear grew more and more, and the faith grew more and more in me, and the Spirit was roused, so that, in a single day I had prayed as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night nearly the same, so that whilst in the woods and on the mountain, even before the dawn, I was roused to prayer and felt no hurt from it, whether there was snow or ice or rain; nor was there any slothfulness in me, such as I see now, because the spirit was then fervent within me." (2)

Around six years after being captured and placed into slavery he escaped to Gaul (now France), which cemented the Christian God as his savior, for Patrick. There he studied and became a monk. He studied under St. Germain's (a bishop at the time) and was promoted to priesthood. Together St. Germain's and his pupil Patrick were sent by Rome to convert Britain from heresy and Paganism to Christianity. It is believed he served under St. Germain's' tutelage for about 18 years (2).

Pope St. Celestine I sent Patrick on to Ireland to convert the Pagans there, upon St. Germain's recommendation. Upon his posting to Ireland Patrick was supposedly given many great relics and gifts from the Pope shortly before his death.

When Patrick landed on Ireland's shores he used his knowledge of their barbarian lifestyles, their pagan rituals and their language, he learned as a slave to preach the benefits of converting to Christianity. To a people who had never heard the Christian faith spoken in their own tongue, it seemed a beautiful belief system. Many saw the similarities to their honored traditions and converted to a monotheistic faith system.

Some like to say Patrick is responsible for introducing Christianity to Ireland, but this is not probable. Christianity had been around quite a while before Patrick came on the scene, but he was the most successful in converting the Irish to Christianity. To many people he was an inspiration as a man who escaped slavery, yet returned to his former captivity to share the words of his God. He also aided his cause by opening many schools for the poor in Ireland. It is said he opened as many as 300 churches and baptized as many as 120,000 people. He also gained popularity with the Irish by openly condemning acts against the Irish by British clergy.

St. Patrick's Day Myths:

Snakes Out Of Ireland
There is a myth that St. Patrick is responsible for running the snakes out of Ireland. This is a metaphor. It is believed by Celtic Pagans and Druids of today that the Snake represents the Celtic pagan faiths, in which the snake is an honored animal representing transformation and calm. When Patrick set about converting the pagans, thus 'driving them out of Ireland' he was driving out the snakes.

Shamrock:
Another myth is that he used a 3 pronged Shamrock to teach about the holy trinity. This is only a myth, and unable to be proven, but it is believed by many that Patrick is responsible for raising the importance of the shamrock for the Irish people making it one of the national symbols today. In reality, the shamrock probably didn't have much significance in Patrick's time. I say this because the shamrock didn't appear in written English until 1571, in written Gaelic it first appeared in 1707. The Shamrock was worn as a badge on St. Feasts Day in 1681. (3) So, I think if Patrick had made much importance of the Shamrock it most likely would have appeared in writing long before almost a Millennium had past. On the other hand, the number 3 - in the shamrock and elsewhere - has always been a holy number, both by Christianity and the Pagans before them. Representing the Holy Trinity (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) for Christianity as well as the Triple Goddess (Crone, Mother & Virgin) in Paganism. So, it's not surprising that the Shamrock eventually was used to demonstrate this holy number. In fact, Brigid/Brigit - one of the other Patron Saints of Ireland (and a Pagan Goddess) is associated with the number 9 which is a multiple of 3.

The Leprechaun:
The Leprechaun has been a Fae myth for eons. In Irish mythology the leprechaun was a shoe maker that enjoyed a bit of home-made alcohol. No matter how drunk he became his hammer remained steady when fashioning the shoes he made. Some say leprechauns, which are seen as small old men, appointed themselves the guardians of the treasures left by the Danes when they invaded Ireland. As most Fae, he was seen as a trickster carrying a silver coin that would return to his pocket whenever he paid it out to someone. In another pocket he carried a gold coin to buy his way out of trouble (or he would promise treasure if he was caught and imprisoned), but this gold coin would turn to leaves or ashes when he was released.(3) How rainbows became associated with Leprechauns is lost in the mysteries of time, as was the idea of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But many an Irish myth point to Leprechauns paying the Gatekeepers to help them hide their gold from mortal eyes. The Gatekeepers were the guardian Fae warriors who protect the entrances to the Hollow Hills of the Fay. Perhaps the beauty of the gateway to the Fae home is as colorful as a rainbow, we'll never know.

(1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/patrick_1.shtml , BBC - Religion & Ethics -- Christianity;
(2) http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11554a.htm , The New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, by Kevin Knight, dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
(3) http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/leprechaun.html Hidden Ireland, A Guide to Irish Fairies, The Leprechaun