The Legends of St. Patrick
The Legends of St. Patrick
By Wes Hessel
Irish You Were Here…
Hello from Chicagoland, where we take our “wearing o’ the green” very seriously; green river, anyone? And I don’t mean the soft drink… Today, with the coldest St. Patty’s (or is that St. Paddy’s?) in about 60 years (the low was in the mid-teen’s this am; no, there isn’t any climate change – NOT!), our thoughts turn to the saint whose day we celebrate, separating fact from fiction.
Lady First…
But first, we mention the other saint commemorated on March 17th, patron saint of cats and their people, gardeners, travelers, widows, and the mentally ill, St. Gertrude of Nivelles. So if you’re having a rodent problem, a prayer to her might be in order…
Not A Pat Answer
As is typically true with so many real world historical figures whose life story is expanded to epic proportions, St. Patrick was a man who did many significant things that historians primarily agree on. The tales and traditions which surround him, however, are the stuff of legend, though they may be rooted (one almost literally) in an aspect of fact.
The Beginning Is A Very Good Place To Start
It is generally accepted that Patrick was a man who lived in the fifth century, born in the area of Britain under Roman control, who went to Ireland when he was in his mid-teens. In his semi-biographical treatise, “Confession of Saint Patrick”, Patrick wrote that he was kidnapped by Irish pirates when he was 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He went on to write that he escaped six years later, and eventually made his way home to Britain. Some years after, he had a vision which he believed was God calling him back to Ireland, where he went to serve as a Christian missionary.
The Stuff That Legends Are Made Of
The first of the St. Patrick legends is probably just an amplification of the plausible idea that he taught about the Holy Trinity using a common three-leaf clover, the shamrock. This triple-leafed plant has long since been the main symbol of St. Patrick’s Day, and by extension, Ireland. The second folklore was that the patron saint of the Emerald Isle had banished all snakes from the country – evidence suggests that Ireland never had any snakes to begin with. The third tale is about the saint’s reputed carriage of an ash staff on his journey from his home to return to Ireland to minister. Patrick’s practice, it was said, is that he would thrust his staff into the ground at the place where he would speak about Christianity – one such stop dragged on for so long, it is said, that his walking stick took root.
Celebrate Safe…
Whatever you may believe, raise a glass (Guiness, perhaps?) to the saint associated with the land of blarney, beer, and beauty (not necessarily in that order). Thank you, St. Patrick, for inspiring countless generations with your work to spread the message of a loving God and the green of life.
