The Origins of St. Patrick
St. Patrick's day, like the commemoration of any saints in the Christian church, is more about the Christian faith and the gospel of Jesus Christ than it is about the Irish, or Roman Catholicism, or even Patrick himself.
Grace MEMO: The Origins of St. Patrick
The St. Patrick’s Day commemoration came to America in 1737 when it was first publicly celebrated in Boston. You might be interested to know that St. Patrick’s day, like the commemoration of any saints in the Christian church, is more about the Christian faith and the gospel of Jesus Christ than it is about the Irish, or Roman Catholicism, or even Patrick himself.
Patrick was probably born in 389 A.D. in Roman Britain (when the Roman Empire still controlled Britain). Although he grew up knowing the basic teachings of Scripture, he describes himself in his largest writing, Confessions, as a 16-year-old who “was ignorant of the true God.” At that age Patrick was seized by raiders and sold as a slave in Ireland. For six years he served as a herdsman for a pagan Irish chieftain in Ulster. It was during that enslavement time that he grew in his faith. Thus Patrick wrote: “Every day I fed cattle, and frequently during the day I prayed. More and more the love and fear of God burned, and my faith and my spirit were strengthened.” After six years of service as a shepherd, he escaped to the Continent (Gaul) and eventually reached home again at the age of 22. But deep down inside his soul he became convinced that he must return and evangelize Ireland.
To prepare himself for that task, he studied in the monastery of Lerins, on an island off the southeast coast of France, where he was then ordained at the age of 28. Patrick also went to Auxerre, France, where he spent 15 years of service and studied religion under Saint Germanus, a French bishop. His first nomination as bishop to Ireland was rejected because of a certain sin in his youth. Also, because Patrick’s earlier education had been a bit inadequate, his religious superiors were reluctant to let him return to Ireland as a missionary. That changed when Palladius, the first Irish missionary bishop, died in 431 A.D. Patrick was commissioned the following year and spent 30 years serving the Lord there until he died.
Patrick began his work in northern and western Ireland, where no one had ever preached Christianity. He gained the trust and friendship of several tribal leaders and soon made many converts. He secured toleration for Christians amid a country filled with Druids, Wiccans, Animists, and other nature-oriented beliefs. He also developed a native clergy, fostered the growth of asceticism (monastery-type living), established dioceses, and held church councils. Though not well educated, he encouraged learning. Emphasizing the priority of mission work to the Celts, those who followed him went on to evangelize western Europe throughout the 500’s and 600’s. Patrick is said to have founded more than 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 people.
He wrote: “I am greatly a debtor to God who has bestowed his grace so largely upon me that multitudes were born again to God through me. The Irish, who never had the knowledge of God and worshipped only idols and unclean things have lately become the people of the Lord and are called sons of God!”
Though touted nowadays as a Roman Catholic saint, Patrick really lived before the time that a lot of current Roman doctrine had developed which separates Rome from Protestantism. He seems to have believed decidedly against the doctrine of salvation by works or merit, being an anti-Pelagian (Pelagius taught the heresy that Christ hadn’t done enough for us). Moreover, he was really more of a “Gallican catholic” than a “Roman catholic,” having studied theology in Gaul, which, at that time, was somewhat independent of Rome in church matters and worship ritual. In fact, Patrick never mentions a Pope in his writings, nor does he appeal to tradition for establishing doctrines; rather he seems to recognize the Scriptures as the sole authority for matters of faith.
Legend claims that Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock as a tool to teach the pagans about the Trinity. The unique Celtic Cross became his standard for representing Christ. And there are differing versions of his purported breastplate (or “Shield”) which defines the Trinity and his allegiance to him. The following confession, however, is attributed to St. Patrick:
I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, the One in Three.
I bind this day to me forever by power of faith Christ’s incarnation,
his baptism in the Jordan River, his death on the cross for my salvation;
his bursting from the spiced tomb, his riding up the heavenly way,
his coming at the day of doom I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay, his ear to hearken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach, his hand to guide, his shield to ward,
the Word of God to give me speech, his heavenly host to be my guard.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me;
Christ to comfort and restore me;
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name, the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three,
of whom all nature hath creation, eternal Father, Spirit, Word;
praise to the God of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord!