ST. PATRICK'S DAY A bit of history The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship. Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland. Patrick
was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic
Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He
travelled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country.
He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion
of the Irish country to Christianity. One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this comes from an Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. . A
four leaf shamrock (or clover) is a rare mutation of
the common three-leaf clover. It's a common activity for children to
look for these and it is considered good luck to find one. Today,
people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking
beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that
it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might
say it has become the first green of spring.
After reading about St. Patrick's Day, do you fancy trying this QUIZ ?
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