St. Patrick

Patrick’s story is pieced together like a quilt from many historical documents, letters, and books. 

Patrick was raised in Britain in probably the late 4th Century AD, son of a deacon and grandson of a priest. The exact dates are unknown. After all, it wasn't like anybody thought, "Hey, this baby will be a great saint. We should record his birth date."

At about age 16, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates, who took him to Ireland where he was sold into slavery. During the six years of his confinement, he worked as a shepherd. His master Milchu was a high priest of the Druids. 

St.Patrick -- When you think about it,
stained glass is sort of like a quilt. . .

During his captivity, Patrick devoted himself to prayer and became a very devout Christian. He had a vision, in which he saw the children of Ireland reaching out their hands to him. And so was born in him the desire to become a missionary to Ireland. 

In a dream, a voice promised him that he would find the way home to Britain. After escaping from slavery, he made his way to a port and persuaded some sailors to let him sail with them. But after three days they all had to abandon ship off the coast of France. They wandered for four weeks, covering 200 miles, before Patrick was reunited with his family. 

Free at last, Patrick returned to France to study for the priesthood, under the missionary St. Germain. In about 418, he was ordained a deacon. In 432, he was ordained as a bishop. Pope Celestine I then sent him to Ireland to support the faithful and to convert the non-believers. 

Ireland didn’t exactly welcome Patrick with a parade — he and his message were met with resistance. But in time the Gospel spread through Patrick’s preaching and writings and the work of missionaries in the area.

Patrick incorporated some of the local customs and rituals into their worship. It may be Patrick who introduced the Celtic Cross, which combines a symbol of sun-worship with the Christian cross.

In his missionary career, Patrick made many converts to faith. He founded monasteries and created councils. He died in about 461 in Saul, Ireland, and was buried in Downpatrick, County Down. The impact of his ministry continues to this day. We celebrate this amazing missionary — and all of Irish culture — on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th.

St. Patrick's grave, St. Patrick's Chapel

Many legends grew up about this great man. The most popular is that Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Another says that he taught people about the nature of the Trinity by using a shamrock. 

As you can see, some pieces are missing from the patchwork of Patrick's life. There are many things we don't know.

But to me, the most extraordinary thing about Patrick is that he returned to the scene of his captivity to bring freedom in Christ to all who would receive the message. I am reminded of Elizabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint, who worked as missionaries among the jungle tribe that had murdered their husbands. 

It takes a special kind of person to do good to those who have done terrible things to us. And that is the true embodiment of the Christian Gospel.

Image credits:

  Postcard: Public Domain

  Stained glass, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Junction City, 

      Ohio -- Author: Nheyob

  Green Celtic Knot:  Author: Petr Vodicka,  Public Domain

  Celtic Cross:  Author: Petr Vodicka,  Public Domain

  St. Patrick's grave -- Author: Alexander P. Kapp    

  St. Patrick with a shamrock, stained glass --  Author: Andreas F. Borchert    

  Shamrocks -- Public Domain

A Month for Mythopaths

The sky is blue; the birds are tweeting. (Disambiguation: the birds are singing, not using a popular social networking service.)

Meanwhile your cat is eyeballing the birdies and licking his lips. So you hop in the Honda and go to Walmart to get cat food. You are, of course, dressed for a blue sky, bird-tweeting  kind of day. But before you get back home with two bags of stuff you didn't intend to buy, you’re wishing you had brought your jacket. Or your umbrella. Or maybe even your snow shoes and an inflatable igloo.

Welcome to the  mad, mercurial, and very mythic month of March. If ever there were a month for mythopaths, March is that month.

In like a lion  –  March takes its name from Mars, the Roman god of war. And the name suits it well, for in this month, Winter and Spring seem to duke it out for supremacy. Hence the unpredictability of the weather. But whether March comes in like a lion or a lamb—or even if it sneaks in like an illegal alien—spring always wins. 

Mad as a March Hare – In this month, normally shy and demure rabbits exhibit rather eccentric behavior. March hares may have “boxing matches” with other rabbits or suddenly leap up into the air. These bizarre bunnies gave rise to the expression “mad as a march hare.” Um, did I mention that in Europe, where this saying originated, March is the mating season for rabbits? In the words of William Makepeace Thackeray, “Love makes fools of us all.”

The Ides of March – March 15th  [Cue creepy music.] The Romans—those same loveable math whizzes who gave us Roman numerals—had a complicated system for keeping track of dates. (Why are we not surprised?) The Ides of March simply means the middle of the month, the 15^th. But the Ides acquired a more sinister connotation when Julius Caesar was assassinated on that date. Apparently, he should have listened to the nagging crooked-toothed oracle who said, “Beware the Ides of March.” 


But in present day America, we're more likely to dread the "Ides of April"--the day taxes are due.

Vernal Equinox – on or around the 20^th of March  -- If you live in a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, you are blessed. The changing of the seasons tells an epic tale, the annual hero's journey of the earth. But no season change is more epic than the return of spring (life) after the long months of winter (death). Life wins, and that is always something to celebrate.

St. Patrick’s Day -- March 17th   -  St. Patrick, symbol of all things Irish, did not willingly go to the Emerald Isle. At least, not the first time. At age 16, he was kidnapped from his home in Roman Britain and carried off to Ireland as a slave. After six years, he escaped to a port and sailed back to his home.

But that’s when the real story begins. In a vision, Patrick received a call to return to Ireland. He heard the Irish people crying in one voice, “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.” Many mythic tales have sprung up around this saint, but none can rival the simple true story of his return to the land of his captivity, this time as a missionary. He converted and baptized thousands into the Christian faith.

Alice dines with the March Hare

March also has the usual assortment of myth-and-legend miscellany.

• St. David's Day (the 1st)
• Dr. Seuss's birthday (the 2nd)
• Johnny Appleseed Day (the 11th)
• Pi Day (3.14--get it?)
• Swallows return to San Juan Capistrano (~ the 19th)
• Future birthday of Captain James T. Kirk (the 22nd)
• Kate diCamillo's birthday (the 25th)
• Tolkien Reading Day (the 25th) 

(Okay, so maybe Pi Day isn't mythic, but it's a hoot.)

Mad March gets my vote for most mythic month of the year, but I’m afraid I can’t stay and argue the point. Wouldn't you know? I have to run to Walmart for cat food. . . .