The Man Behind St Patrick"s Day
At the age of 16, St.
Patrick was captured from Britain by Irish Raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland.
It is believed his father was a Deacon, though more for the tax incentives than the religion.
While in captivity, St.
Patrick was alone and afraid and turned to religion for solace.
It may have been during this time in captivity that he began to dream about converting the Irish to Christianity.
Within six years he escaped and returned to Britain and his family.
Legend states that a voice, he believed to be God, told him it was now time to leave Ireland.
In his escape he walked more than 200 miles from County Mayo to the coast.
After joining his family, another voice told him to return to Ireland as a missionary.
He engaged in more than 15 years of religious studies.
He was then sent to Ireland as an Ordained bishop, serving the North and West parts of the Emerald Isle, ministering to Christians already living in Ireland and converting the others.
Familiar with Irish Traditions, he incorporated these into his teachings.
Bonfires became a celebration of Easter.
Bonfires were a way the Irish honored gods.
St.
Patrick also added the powerful Irish symbol of the sun onto the Christian cross to create what is now known as a Celtic cross.
Since the Irish way of life is centered around the rich tradition of the telling of legend and myth, it is no surprise that St.
Patrick's life became part of the exaggerated, exciting tales shared and remembered.
St.
Patrick's Day is March 17, the day of his death in 461 AD.
St.
Patrick is credit with banishing snakes from Ireland.
Scholars, however, believe there were never snakes on the Emerald Isle.
He is also credited with the Shamrock.
It is believed he used the shamrock to teach the Irish about Christianity and the Holy Trinity.
His lesson taught that the Christian belief of "three divine persons in one God" using the three-leaved clover to represent this trinity.
The first St.
Patrick's Day parade was not held in Ireland, but in the United States.
It was Irish soldiers serving in the English military who organized the parade, marching through New York City on March 17, 1762.
They played Irish music and paid tribute to their Irish roots.
St.
Patrick himself is evidence that you don't have to be Irish to celebrate March 17!
Patrick was captured from Britain by Irish Raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland.
It is believed his father was a Deacon, though more for the tax incentives than the religion.
While in captivity, St.
Patrick was alone and afraid and turned to religion for solace.
It may have been during this time in captivity that he began to dream about converting the Irish to Christianity.
Within six years he escaped and returned to Britain and his family.
Legend states that a voice, he believed to be God, told him it was now time to leave Ireland.
In his escape he walked more than 200 miles from County Mayo to the coast.
After joining his family, another voice told him to return to Ireland as a missionary.
He engaged in more than 15 years of religious studies.
He was then sent to Ireland as an Ordained bishop, serving the North and West parts of the Emerald Isle, ministering to Christians already living in Ireland and converting the others.
Familiar with Irish Traditions, he incorporated these into his teachings.
Bonfires became a celebration of Easter.
Bonfires were a way the Irish honored gods.
St.
Patrick also added the powerful Irish symbol of the sun onto the Christian cross to create what is now known as a Celtic cross.
Since the Irish way of life is centered around the rich tradition of the telling of legend and myth, it is no surprise that St.
Patrick's life became part of the exaggerated, exciting tales shared and remembered.
St.
Patrick's Day is March 17, the day of his death in 461 AD.
St.
Patrick is credit with banishing snakes from Ireland.
Scholars, however, believe there were never snakes on the Emerald Isle.
He is also credited with the Shamrock.
It is believed he used the shamrock to teach the Irish about Christianity and the Holy Trinity.
His lesson taught that the Christian belief of "three divine persons in one God" using the three-leaved clover to represent this trinity.
The first St.
Patrick's Day parade was not held in Ireland, but in the United States.
It was Irish soldiers serving in the English military who organized the parade, marching through New York City on March 17, 1762.
They played Irish music and paid tribute to their Irish roots.
St.
Patrick himself is evidence that you don't have to be Irish to celebrate March 17!
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