Who was St. Patrick?

Being second US born generation of two Irish immigrants, St. Patrick's day is a huge celebration to me. However, this year as the holiday approaches, I have given some thought as to why we celebrate this man's life on March 17th. What is the history of his life? I did some research on this saint and his legacy in Ireland.

The information surrounding the life of St. Patrick is made up of many things that people believe are fact, like his banishing of all the snakes from Ireland, which are actually false. Many of these stories are the products of hundreds of years of exaggeration. Based on information that I found on The History Channel's website (www.history.com), St Patrick was born in Britain near the end of the fourth century and died on March 17th 460 A.D. There is no record that Patrick was from a religious family, even though his father was a Christian Deacon.

When Patrick was 16, he was taken captive by raiders that attacked his family estate. Although there is no clear information as to where the raiders took Patrick, he worked most of his life as a shepard, outdoors and away from people. It was there that he first turned to his Christianity for solice during these lonely times. It is believed that this could be when he first dreamed of turning the Irish people Christian. During this time, the Irish people were natural-based pagans, honoring their gods with fire and looking to the sun for worship. Patrick brought the use of bonfires to Easter celebrations, and superimposed a "sun" on the Christian cross, which is now called a Celtic cross. Patrick chose to incorporate traditional Irish rituals into his teachings of Christianity, rather than eradicate all prior traditions and beliefs. This may be the reason that it was so widely accepted.

So is all of this a reason to celebrate him...to the people in Ireland it certainly is a reason. Ireland has been plagued for centuries by continued fighting between north and south, which is primarily routed in religious beliefs of Catholic and Protestant beliefs. Although St Patrick is credited to bringing, or broadening Christianity in Ireland and we (Irish and non-Irish alike) celebrate his life for this, the faith he brought has been the reason for a legacy of strife.

I am sure St. Patrick is not happy with what the country he loved has done with his faith. Think about this while you are attending a local parade, drinking green beer, or eating Corned Beef and Cabbage this March 17th!