St. Patrick Snakebane

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

IRELAND (GLOB)—There really are no snakes in Ireland. As we approach St. Patrick’s day, lets ponder The Man, The Myth, The Legend.

Nothing a couple of Green Guinnesses can’t handle.

The Man

The man who would become Bishop of Ireland lived in the 5th Century, and March 17th is the date of his death as near as anyone can figure. Exactly what his date of birth and death are is not really known with dates ranging from 385 to 392. We are not sure where he was even born. Some sources say Britain, others Scotland.

What is known is that at the age of 16 he was kidnapped by Irish Pirates and hauled from Britain to Ireland and sold as a slave. He lived as a slave for 6 years. According to The Confession of St. Patrick he was not particularly fervent in his faith as a youth, but slavery seems to have focused him toward God.

1
My name is Patrick. I am a sinner, a simple country person, and the least of all believers. I am looked down upon by many. My father was Calpornius. He was a deacon; his father was Potitus, a priest, who lived at Bannavem Taburniae^[Nota]. His home was near there, and that is where I was taken prisoner. I was about sixteen at the time. At that time, I did not know the true God. I was taken into captivity in Ireland, along with thousands of others. We deserved this, because we had gone away from God, and did not keep his commandments. We would not listen to our priests, who advised us about how we could be saved^[Nota]. The Lord brought his strong anger upon us, and scattered us among many nations even to the ends of the earth. It was among foreigners that it was seen how little I was.

2
It was there that the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith. Even though it came about late, I recognised my failings. So I turned with all my heart to the Lord my God^[Nota], and he looked down on my lowliness^[Nota] and had mercy on my youthful ignorance. He guarded me before I knew him, and before I came to wisdom and could distinguish between good and evil. He protected me and consoled me as a father does for his son.

From his Confessio

Patrick escaped back to England following the prompting of a dream.

17
It was there one night in my sleep that I heard a voice saying to me: “You have fasted well. Very soon you will return to your native country.” Again after a short while, I heard a someone saying to me: “Look – your ship is ready.” It was not nearby, but a good two hundred miles away. I had never been to the place, nor did I know anyone there. So I ran away then, and left the man with whom I had been for six years. It was in the strength of God that I went – God who turned the direction of my life to good; I feared nothing while I was on the journey to that ship.

ibid

Eventually after a series of rather mystical events and more dreams, he determined to return to Ireland. Over the next few years, he studied and became a deacon and then a priest. At some point between 431 and 432 he was consecrated Bishop of Ireland by Pope Celestine and arrived in Slane on March 24, 432.

St. Patrick traveled far and wide, baptizing and confirming and it seems building churches as well. His mission lasted several years and he converted thousands of Irish.

His date of death ranges from 461 to 493. I did find a source that mentioned his mission in Ireland lasted nearly 40 years - which supports the later date of death.

The Myth

Probably the most well-known myth is that of him driving the snakes from Ireland and into the sea.

That and the one about the Shamrock and the Trinity, which is pretty bad theology. Oh, and it didn’t happen either.

The Legend

Well, I think I already covered all that. Unless someone wants to hear about why I say the idea of a Shamrock being a good way to explain the Trinity is a really bad way. Can you say “Modalism” or “Partialism”?

Also, he is not the patron saint of alcoholics. That would be St. Matthias, who replaced Judas. But that’s another story.

Have A Guinness!!