Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland. He was one of many religious who went into to Ireland to convert the people to Christianity. While most of the lives of the saints were written long after their deaths, we have Patrick’s own words in two different documents that tell us something about his life. One document is the “Confessio,” which provides some background on his life and vocation. The second is a letter to the soldiers of Coroticus. Coroticus was a Christian war lord believed to have been from Britain, whose soldiers attacked some of Patrick’s recent converts – killing some and taking female prisoners and selling them off to pagans.
Patrick wrote his “Confessio” late in life because according to him, “I have hesitated until now, for truly, I feared to expose myself to the criticism of men, because I have not studied like others.” Patrick was no Latin scholar and he knew it. He was a man of action rather than a man of letters.
We take much of what we know about Patrick from the Confessio’s short explanation of his life and mission. We know that Patrick resided in Roman Britain as a boy. Likely he was born in the late 300’s and lived well into the mid 400’s. His father was a Deacon and his grandfather was a Priest, but according to his own words, he was not a believer in his youth – “I did not, indeed, know the true God.” At 16, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and taken from Roman Britain over to Ireland as a slave. The ancient name (Bannavem Taburniae) he uses for his home is not one that can be definitely identified, but some scholars believe it was located in southwest Britain. Most believe that his home must have been near the coast for pirates to have captured him. Other theories on the exact whereabouts of his home abound.
Patrick’s capture must have been a very harrowing experience for so young a man and he writes of his physical hardships and fears while a slave. He stayed in Ireland for six years and worked as a shepherd under constant fear for his life. During those years, had he been home in Britain, he may have received an advanced education that might have prepared him for a life of scholarship. But Patrick got a different education during those hard years. While working as a slave Patrick says, “More and more did the love of God, and my fear of him and faith increase.” He escaped after being encouraged in a dream to head for the sea, but his trip home is described in sketchy terms involving yet a second captivity in another land that some scholars believe was Gaul (France).
It was in slavery that Patrick became a devoted Christian. After he arrived home, Patrick was encouraged by additional visions and inspirations. In this way, Patrick was indeed a mystic. We know that after many years, Patrick returned to Ireland as a Bishop. Sources long after his death describe his religious studies and those important churchmen under whom he studied.
Many Priests and several Bishops worked to convert the pagan Irish and Patrick no doubt made great strides – baptizing thousands. Work continued for many years after his death (some say centuries) before full conversion of the population was accomplished. The Pagan Irish conversion to Christianity is remarkable for it was accomplished without any violence.
After Patrick’s death, a few hundred years passed before more was written on his life so there is great deal of scholarly debate on the “real” Saint Patrick. Some believe medieval writers, who tended to embellish the lives of the saints, exaggerated Patrick’s exploits. Patrick’s own writings are brief, modest and truthful. Patrick’s writings were not written with the same-schooled hand as many other early church leaders who were much better educated in Latin and composition. Patrick busied himself converting Pagan Celts and never had the opportunity to develop flawless Latin.
It is also noteworthy that Patrick’s Confessio refers to an unspecified transgression of his youth that had had apparently come to light in the Saint’s old age. His Confessio, which was written late in life, also includes a defense of some of his later actions, most likely having to do with his possessions or finances that came under harsh criticism from certain of his contemporaries outside of Ireland. The tone of the Confessio suggests a certain exasperation over the fact that his detractors were calling attention to a sin he had apparently committed as a boy and picking nits over his finances while ignoring his remarkable record of complete personal sacrifice and devotion to his flock.
We do know that Patrick returned to Ireland at great risk to convert the pagan people whom he devoted his life. He was in peril all the while a missionary. The famous prayer commonly called Saint Patrick’s Breastplate, traditionally attributed to him, is beautiful, yet simply written. The prayer does not appear in Patrick’s meager writings, but it has been handed down over the centuries and can be found in many different variations today. Regardless of whether Patrick wrote the prayer, like his life itself, the prayer speaks for those of us today who see and seek divine strength and intervention in daily life. A small part of the prayer follows:
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun
Brilliance of moon
Splendor of fire
Speed of lightning
Swiftness of wind
Depth of sea
Stability of earth
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s host to secure me
against snares of devils
against temptations of vices
against inclinations of nature
against everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and anear,
alone and in a crowd.
Saint Patrick’s mission was responsible for seeding many religious vocations and spreading the Christian faith. But it was perilous work. Tradition has it that Patrick composed the prayer when he was on his most perilous mission journey.
The second document written by Saint Patrick, which has survived, was a letter to the soldiers of Coroticus. In this letter, Patrick admonishes these soldiers who are responsible for the slaughter and enslavement of some of his recent converts. He beseeches them to return the surviving female converts who have been taken and sold off to pagans. He also strongly warns those who might find the evil deeds of the kidnappers acceptable and he expresses sorrow for those who suffered at the hands of the evil doers. The letter gives evidence of Patrick’s anger and frustration over the deed and his love and devotion to his people. Not only had Patrick adopted the Irish as his life’s work, but at the time of this letter he has clearly become one of them.
Irish people all over the world are especially devoted to Saint Patrick. Most of what we hear of Patrick does not come from sources that were contemporary to Patrick himself and thus scholars tend to doubt much of its authenticity. The lack of scholarly proof of much of what is said about Patrick and about so many Irish figures and deeds has always been of little concern to the Irish themselves. The Irish embrace the traditions that surround Patrick as they embrace many other traditions that have fueled a spirituality and vibrancy that is indeed powerful, endearing and lasting.
The traditional stories of Saint Patrick are inspiring and have helped countless generations of Christians devote themselves to God as small children and helped them rededicate themselves to Christian values as adults. Generations of Christians in America have also been beneficiaries of the thousands of Irish clergy who have followed in Patrick’s footsteps to another shore to help forge the faith. The rich mix of Patrician stories and traditions has been a great blessing.
For modern Christians, a look at Patrick’s life, reflected in his own pen, provides proof that sinners can become saints and God’s grace can help us deal with our shortcomings. Patrick’s experience also suggests that we should never underestimate God’s plan for our own lives at any age. We can look back in time and imagine Patrick as a suffering slave boy, but perhaps more often we see him as a white-haired Bishop walking the Irish countryside winning over pagan princes to the faith. The real Patrick was a man of sad beginnings, but boundless faith and energy. Like Abraham, he was called on by God to do that which he feared most. In Patrick’s case, it was going back to those wild pagan Irish with the message of salvation-- a mighty task. When Saint Patrick baptized thousands of Irish in those ancient days, he was continuing the work of the apostles before him, leading the way to conversions that continue to this day.
Copyright 2009 by Lawrence M. Norris
