Patrick was born in Britain around 385. His name originated in Latin "Patricious," meaning father. To Pagans Patrick was worshiped and honored as the companion to the goddess.
When Patrick was old enough he moved to Gaul to study with the Catholic monks who in return made him a saint. They called him the apostle to Ireland. He spent his life spreading the word of the Catholic God leaving the Goddess out of his sermons. He took a part in ending witchcraft in Ireland by outlawing any form of worship with nature, banning all chants, incantations and burning many of the Celtic literature's.
In 441 he journeyed to Rome to receive the pallium from the pope. Later he became Archbishop of Armagh converting many to the Catholic faith until 457 when he retired. Patrick lived until the year 561 then buried at Downpatrick.
Patrick lived in the region of the former capital of Ulster at Emain Macha and at Ard Macha, the present day Armagh, which still claims descent from him. King Daire held court here and St. Patrick set up his church within the royal rath. It grew into a monastery which is now the site of the cathedral.
Easter Day, 25 March 433, saw him confronting the pagan Druids by lighting a paschal or Easter fire. This act coincided with the Druid spring festival, when all the fires in the land were extinguished and then relit from the one fire burning on the Hill of Tara, the royal residence and pagan sacred place. The outraged Druids saw Patrick's fire burning on the distant slopes of Slane and prophetically warned King Laoghaire that if it was not put out very quickly then the light of Christ would never be extinguished in Erin. As a consequence of his challenge to Druidical authority, a trial of powers was arranged.
According to legend, Patrick put forward a scheme which seemed to favor the Druid. A hut was constructed in two sections, one half of dry wood and the other half of green wood. Lucetmael unknowing stood inside the green part wearing the saint's cloak while Benen, a follower of Patrick's, entered the dry half wearing the stolen mantle of the Druid. The shelter was set on fire. Lucetmael was completely consumed in the flames. The Druid cloak burned only on the outside to ashes. Depicitions of the Saint generally show him with snakes at his feet, recalling the legend that he banished all the evil, from the land.
The Columbia-Viking Desk Encyclopedia Third Edition The Viking Press 1953-revised 1960, 1967 The Celtic Book of Saints Courtnry Davis text by Elaine Gill Blandford Book 1995
When Patrick was old enough he moved to Gaul to study with the Catholic monks who in return made him a saint. They called him the apostle to Ireland. He spent his life spreading the word of the Catholic God leaving the Goddess out of his sermons. He took a part in ending witchcraft in Ireland by outlawing any form of worship with nature, banning all chants, incantations and burning many of the Celtic literature's.
In 441 he journeyed to Rome to receive the pallium from the pope. Later he became Archbishop of Armagh converting many to the Catholic faith until 457 when he retired. Patrick lived until the year 561 then buried at Downpatrick.
Patrick lived in the region of the former capital of Ulster at Emain Macha and at Ard Macha, the present day Armagh, which still claims descent from him. King Daire held court here and St. Patrick set up his church within the royal rath. It grew into a monastery which is now the site of the cathedral.
Easter Day, 25 March 433, saw him confronting the pagan Druids by lighting a paschal or Easter fire. This act coincided with the Druid spring festival, when all the fires in the land were extinguished and then relit from the one fire burning on the Hill of Tara, the royal residence and pagan sacred place. The outraged Druids saw Patrick's fire burning on the distant slopes of Slane and prophetically warned King Laoghaire that if it was not put out very quickly then the light of Christ would never be extinguished in Erin. As a consequence of his challenge to Druidical authority, a trial of powers was arranged.
According to legend, Patrick put forward a scheme which seemed to favor the Druid. A hut was constructed in two sections, one half of dry wood and the other half of green wood. Lucetmael unknowing stood inside the green part wearing the saint's cloak while Benen, a follower of Patrick's, entered the dry half wearing the stolen mantle of the Druid. The shelter was set on fire. Lucetmael was completely consumed in the flames. The Druid cloak burned only on the outside to ashes. Depicitions of the Saint generally show him with snakes at his feet, recalling the legend that he banished all the evil, from the land.
The Columbia-Viking Desk Encyclopedia Third Edition The Viking Press 1953-revised 1960, 1967 The Celtic Book of Saints Courtnry Davis text by Elaine Gill Blandford Book 1995
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