Sacreeta

The Legend of Saint Patrick, and why the world Celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day.



Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008

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St. Patrick, who St. Patty's Day is named after, was actually a real person. Maewyn Succat was his real name, and he was dubbed St. Patrick by Pope Celestine.

St. Patrick's parents, Calphurnius and Conchessa were a high society Roman family. St. Patty was born in Brittain in 387AD but didn't spend his entire life there. Infact, he fell victim at the very young age of 16, as he was kidnapped by Irish raiders, who were Pagans and St. Patty was sold as a slave, bought by a family, chieftain named Meliuc in Antrim.

St. Patty lived with the Pagans, spending the remainder of his teen years as a Shepard, herding his master's sheep. Slavery didn't kill his spirit, in actuality it had the opposite affect. His belief in God, and his faith grew stronger with each year he spent in slavery, all six long years. One night, St. Patty had a dream, and in the dream, he escaped, and was on a ship. So he ran away from his master, and travelled about 200 miles until he found a port, and boarded as ship, successfully escaping.
After all of his struggles, St. Patty made it home to his family, but Ireland was in his heart, that is where his faith had grown strong, and he felt a love for Ireland.

St. Patty had another vision, and this one was of him preaching the word of God in Ireland, and one day he knew he would return.

In the mean time, St. Patty, had gone to St. Martin's Monastery at Tours, and also on his journey he had gone to the island sanctuary of Lerins, which is on the French Rivera, and is still a Monastery today. That's where he met a bishop named, St. Germain. St. Patty stayed with St. Germain, and worked under his guidance as a monk, eventually becoming a Priest. He remained with St. Germain for 18 years, working as a Priest, and all the while, his heart longed for the green fields of Ireland, and spoke highly of Ireland reliving fond memories with St. Germain.

Pattrick, having another vision, he envisioned the people of Ireland were calling to him, and he that knew it was time for him to go to Ireland. St. Germain, who was a Bishop supported his decision, and had given St. Patrick a recommendation to Pope Celestine in 432 in Rome. Pattrick was promoted to a Bishop, and he was given the name of Patercius or Patritius. The name comes from two Latin words, pater civium, which means the father of his people. But St. Pattrick was denied to be sent to Ireland, instead the Pope chose Palladius. Paladius, went to Ireland, as per request, but had passed away, and St. Pattrick was sent in his place.

Pattrick was not well received in Ireland, especially by the druids, and he was imprisoned. He managed an escape, but the legends of St. Patty's mostly come from the battles he fought with Druids, and the first battle was fought with a Druid chieftain named Dichu. According to legend, Dichu drew his sword to kill St. Patrick but couldn't get his arms to obey his will, his will, instead favoured St. Pattrick, and from that day fourth Dichu became a patron of St. Patty, and the miracle of what he saw was so overwhelming that gave St. Patty a gift of a large sabhall (barn). This was the first sanctuary dedicated by St. Patrick.

Now the stories and myths of St. Patty grew, as the centuries passed, but St. Patrick had written his own life history, and it is entitled the Confessio, or Confessions. He also had written formal letter to the British Lord Coroticus, expressing his displeasure in the raids conducted by Coroticus on Ireland, and his disrespect from British Noblemen, and Clergy against the Irish Noblemen.

They say St. Patty converted the island of Ireland to the teachings of God, and St. Patty's day is a metaphor for the baptism of the entire Island.

St. Patty is also famous for the folklore of driving the snakes from Ireland, as even today, Ireland has no snakes. They say he drove his staff into the ground and ordered the snakes off the island, other legends say, he blew a tin whistle and the snakes followed him through the forest, to their untimely doom into the sea. And others say that he tricked the snakes into a box, and he tossed the snakes out to sea.

One common St. Patty's legend, is the symbol of the shamrock stands for the three Religious symbolic meanings, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He used the shamrock, when explaining the word of God, using it as an example of the Trinity.

On March 17th 461 AD, at the age of 76, St. Patty died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. He is believed to be buried in Downpatrick, County Down.

The Irish celebrate St. Patty's Day, even today, on the anniversary of his death on the 17th of March annually out of respect to patron saint of Ireland.

The first St. Patrick's Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston in 1737. The largest St. Patrick's Day parade is in New York City.

The word shamrock, is a Gaelic word, seamrog, in Irish it means summer plant, and trefoil, means three leafed clover, or little clover.

The Shamrock is also a sacred plant to the druids.

Shamrock is the national flower of Ireland, but not the national emblem. That would be the harp.

Most Irish wear a shamrock on St. Patty's day, and that is why the Irish wear green.

It is said those who do not wear a shamrock on St. Patty's day, had best watch out, or they will get pinched..

Lucky leprechauns made their way into the symbolism of St. Patty's day, because Leprechauns are Irish Fairies, and a great Irish traditional legend.

Kissing the blarney stone is also another Irish tradition, that is held dear by the Irish, and celebrated on St. Patty's Day as a National symbolic gesture.
 
And that's the story.
For some great St. Patrick's Day Party Ideas check out my link.
 Kids Party Ideas for St. Patrick's Day, here's the best Irish Fun you can fit into one Lucky Day!
 
Happy Saint Patrick's Day.
 
By: Sacreeta

Sacreeta Veneficus--Actor: Casting: Columnist: Novelist: Scriptwriter: College Instructor: Graphic Artist: Latino Dancer: Singer

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