ST. PATRICK




ST PATRICK

In The Confessions of St Patrick, written by St Patrick in Latin in his old age, he tells us that he was an native of Roman Britain, the son of Calpurnius, a deacon who lived in the village of Bannavem Taberniae. There is wide speculation as to the location of Bannavem Taberniae with scholars ascribing it to Cumberland, Carlisle or The Severn in England or to the Island of Anglesey.
Patrick was captured by Irish raiders at the age of 16 and sold into slavery to tend sheep and swine on the mountains. In his confessions St Patrick gives us only one Irish place name, that of the wood of Foclut. He implies that it was the place of his captivity. The weight of evidence is that this was a wood on the west shore of Ireland in what is now Co. Mayo. Here his thoughts turned to God and he spent much time in solitary prayer and in his own words ‘the Spirit was burning in me at the time’. During this time he had two dreams in which he heard voices directing him, the first telling him that he would soon depart the place of slavery and the second to tell him that his ship was ready. At this he left his master and traveled across the country until he found a merchant ship preparing to sail.
The ship brought him to a deserted place believed to be Wales and eventually he made his way home and was reunited with his family. However he was not happy here and speaks of many disturbing dreams. In one of these dreams he received a letter from ‘The voice of the Irish’ and in another he speaks of the children in their mothers wombs crying out to him to return.
He received his education and training on the Continent and according to some records visited Rome., He is said to have received, the staff known as “The Staff of Jesus” (Bachall Iosa) which is traditionally always in his hand when we see any statues or pictures of the Saint.



He returned to Ireland, traditionally dated in 432. He is thought to have landed first at the mouth of the River Boyne, and then to have traveled north to Saul, where, according to legend, he had his first church given to him by Dichu, the local druid lord, who after first opposing Patrick and even making an attempt to attack him with a sword, was miraculously paralyzed by the saint. As a result of the wonderment at his paralysis, Dichu sought baptism and became the first convert in Ireland.
 

 

From there he is thought to have moved on to Tara which was the Royal Residence of the High King of Tara who, at the time, was King Laoghaire. Every year, all the kings, governors, leaders, princes and nobility of Ireland, along with the druids, magicians, soothsayers, clairvoyants and teachers of every art and skill were summoned by the High King of Tara – their Babylon - to celebrate the Festival of Easter with their Pagan worship. And traditionally at that time it was forbidden for any person to light a fire before the fire in the Kings home at Tara was lit on pain of death.
But St Patrick lit the divine fire-bright and blessed-the fire that became known as The Paschal Fire, which was seen by the people far and wide. Laoghaire, the High King was incensed and to prove that his Gods were as good as Patricks God, King Laoghaire challenged Patrick to a legendary contest with the magician Lucamael.
The first round of the contest was to consist of a trial by water; each was to place his book in water, the winner being the one whose book emerged intact . Patrick was willing but the magician was not. The next round was to be a trial by fire; again each was to place his book in the fire with the winner’s emerging unscathed. Again Patrick was willing but the magician was not. The third round resulted in Lucamael being burned to death in part of a specially constructed house, despite the fact that it was made of green wood.
The result was that although King Laoghaire, High King of Ireland, rejected Patrick's beliefs, he allowed Patrick through the length and breath of Ireland without any opposition.

 

 


 

Probably the most authentic history of St Patrick is contained in the Book of Armagh. Here is a translation of one of its passages written by Tirechan portraying Patricks journey to Croagh Patrick. ‘While visiting the High King of Tara during the first Easter of his mission, St Patrick overheard two men speaking. I am Ende son of Amolngid, son of Fiachrae, son of Echu from the Western District, Mag Dommon and the Wood of Fochloth”. When Patrick heard the mention of the Wood of Fochloth, he was delighted and said to them that he would go with them as the Lord had told him to go there. Patrick pledged to go there before the end of a years time, at the second Easter, because of the children crying with a loud voice, whose voices he had heard from their mothers wombs saying “Come O Holy Patrick to save us”



Patrick, it is believed, reached Croagh Patrick just before Easter of 441. Again the Book of Armagh gives Tirechans narrative of this:
‘ And Patrick proceeded to Mons Aigli (Croagh Patrick) intending to fast there for forty days and forty nights, following the example of Moses, Elias, and Christ. Patrick’s Charioteer died in Muiresc Aigli (Murrisk), the plain between the sea and Mons Aigli and Patrick buried him there. And Patrick proceeded to the summit of the mountain, climbing Cruachan Aigli and stayed there forty days and forty nights and the birds were troublesome to him and he could not see the face of the sky and land and sea. Because to all the holy men of Ireland, past, present and future, God said: “climb O holy men, to the top of the mountain which towers above and is higher than all the mountains to the west of the sun in order to bless the people of Ireland.” So that Patrick might see the fruit of his labours, because the choir of all the holy men of the Irish came to him to visit their father and he established a church in Mag Humail (Oughaval).
From further reading of the writings of Tirechan we are told that Patrick travelled the length and breath of Ireland bringing Christianity in Patrick’ own words “to the ends of the Earth and beyond.” At this time this would have referred to Patrick’s journey through the West of Ireland where the West Coast would have been seen as the end of the Earth with America, some 3,000 miles across the sea being the next port and not having been discovered for almost another 10 centuries. And everywhere that Patrick traveled he established churches, many of which are still standing, albeit in ruins, bear his name to this day.
St Patrick is recorded as having died on the 17th day of March and since that time it has traditionally been celebrated as his feast day. When he died many communities contended for the glory of having his burial in their grounds. Tradition has it that leaving it to Providence to resolve the argument, the bier was laid on a wagon to which four oxen were yoked. The oxen were led out into the wilderness and left to seek their own destination. On a slope above the river Quoile they stayed and there, in Downpatrick, the body of St Patrick was laid in the earth. The great anxiety displayed in the middle ages to possess the bodies or at least the relics of the saints, account for the many discrepancies as to the burial site of St Patrick and others.
His enshrined arm is kept however in St Patrick’s Church in Belfast.

 

 

 

To see the man Patrick we must climb beyond the shamrock and the snake . He was a man of great conviction, great energy, great charity, who combined great visionary power with a practical sense and a soldiers audacity. He is a saint because he loved God and he loved man. He took Christianity to a people “beyond which no man dwelt”. Far beyond the limit of the Roman world of the time was a country that had not known Roman order. Patrick came to a country that had no towns, no urban life, and had to build a church that was different in its organization from the churches of Roman Europe.
Because of Patrick’s example, Irish Missionaries have been able to reach the four corners of the earth because they learned to go among the people of the world and reach them at their level, not at a preconceived level.

We know from the historical experts that there were never any snakes in Ireland so our Saint never did have to expel them. But what Patrick dealt with, and caused him so much trouble (i.e. “the black birds which were so troublesome to him on the summit of the mountain”) was the darkness of a people steeped in paganism and heathen worship.
“For the sun is that which we see rising daily at His command, but it will never reign, nor will its splendor last forever. And all those who worship it will be subject to grievous punishment. We, however, worship the true sun, Christ, who will never perish. Nor will those who do His bidding, but the will continue forever just as Christ will continue forever, He Who reigns with God the Father Almighty and with the Holy Spirit before time and now and in eternity, Amen.”(St Patrick’s Confession)

 




 


 

THE MYTHS AND THE LEGENDS OF SAINT PATRICK
There are many legends and stories surrounding St Patrick’s journey through Ireland. I have recorded some of them here and, as in everything from the past, we must make our own judgment. So take what you like and leave the rest!.


The Shamrock:
In his sermons to the Irish people Patrick realized that they were not able to grasp the concept of the Trinity. So he plucked a leaf of Shamrock from the grass to show how the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. St Patrick would also have known that the Shamrock was a sacred plant among the Druids and three was a mystical number in the Celtic Religions.

The Blind Man:
On one occasion a blind man came seeking a cure and, because of his lack of sight, he fell more than once. One of Patrick’s company laughed at him. The blind man was cured – the cleric blinded.



The Black Bell of St Patrick:
The Black Bell of St Patrick was a highly venerated relic on Croagh Patrick for many years and the oldest reference to it dates back to 1098AD. It is said the Patrick was fiercely attacked by birds and demons and venomous reptiles during his 40 days fast on the summit of the Reek. He implored the divine aid and immediately found the bell at his feet and with frequent ringing and eventually by throwing the bell at them he banished the reptiles into Log na Deamhan (Lake of the Demons) and not Clew Bay, on the north base of the Reek. And he obtained a promise from Heaven that all poisonous reptiles or apparitions of devils would henceforth be banished from the Island. The Bell dates from at least 600 AD and is now in possession of the National Museum of Ireland.

Patricks Death Wishes:
At the time of his death it is said that Patrick obtained 4 request from God.
No.1: That his primacy would be in Armagh.
No. 2: That whoever on the day of his death would sing a hymn composed about Patrick would have Patrick as judge of the penance due for his sins.
No. 3: That the descendants of Dicu who received him kindly would not be lost and would be shown mercy.
No. 4: That on the day of judgment all the Irish would be judged by Patrick.

Twelve days without Night:
On the day of Patrick’s death no night fell, it did not wrap its black wings around the earth, and the evening did not send the darkness which carries the stars and the same for every night of the 12 nights of waking for Patrick.

The Legend of Crom Dubh:
Cromdubh was a man living in the west of Connacht, who by the wickedness of his life was thought to have forfeited his soul to the devil, but when Satan came with his legions to take possession of the trust, he found St. Patrick with a troop of angels guarding the soul, it having been found that Crom’s good actions outweighed his evil deeds especially in his barter of preys for the prayers of the saints disciples. A battle ensued between the two parties, in which the demon legions were worsted and the soul of Crom Dubh carried off in triumph by the victorious hosts to heaven.





“THE BREASTPLATE OF ST. PATRICK”

This is the traditional prayer of Saint Patrick composed by him in or around 433. He knew that there was an ambush awaiting him and his group as he traveled to the High King of Ireland’s Court and it was during that travelling that he and his group of followers chanted the sacred Lorica which was later to be called The Breastplate of St. Patrick. As the Druids awaited Patrick, ready to kill him and all his men, all they could see was a gentle doe with twenty fawns!.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with his Baptism, through the strength of His Crucifixion
With His Burial through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension, through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim in obedience of Angels In the service of the Archangels, in hope of resurrection to meet with reward, in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets, in preaching's of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors, in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven; light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendor of Fire, speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea, stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me, Gods might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to secure me: against snares of devils, against temptations of vices, against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils); against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul, against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of heathenry, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of witches, smiths and wizards, against every knowledge that endangers man/s body and soul. Christ to protect me today against poisoning, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so that there may come abundance in reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. Salvation of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. Amen.

             "Let your conclusion be that my success was a gift from God"

Croagh Patrick
 St Patricks Day
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