Tradition

Saint Patrick

"Patrick was born towards 390 AD, probably in the west coast of Britain. Irish pirates pillaged the well provided Roman villas. When he was sixteen years old, Patrick was kidnapped during a raid and taken to Ireland as a slave.

He had been raised in a Christian family, his father was a deacon and his grandfather had been a preacher too. In Ireland Patrick was sold as a slave and worked as a shepherd. There he began to repent from his previous spiritual indifference, to think about God and to grow his interior life.

After six years he escaped and went back home in Britain where he spent some time. He first stayed with his family and then prepared to be ordained deacon and later as a priest. He then studied the Bible thoroughly which he shows to know well through his writings. During this period he traveled to the Gaul, though it was a short visit as he received his religious formation in his own country.

Whilst in the Gaul, in Britain a project developed to raise Patrick to the Episcopate. A friend of his proposed his name for Bishop of the Christians in Ireland. Patrick was reluctant to accept and fearing the Irish barbarians and his own lack of illustration, he listened more to those who tried to persuade him otherwise. Finally Patrick felt that God called him for that ministry.

Though he was in charge, as Bishop, of his faithful Christians, his principal apostolate was the conversion of the pagans to Christianity. He went to the farthest places to baptize and preach the Gospel. He did what any bishop on a mission did in those days: preached, baptized, celebrated mass, confirmed, ordained clerics and instituted priests and nuns. This task was not free of insults and fear for hostages and pillages.

An example of this was what happened with the British chief Coroticus. Though baring a Christian name, Coroticus commanded a loot in Ireland, during which many newly converts were slaughtered; others were abducted and sold. This motivated the Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus. This is basically what we know about the Saint, who died on the 17 of March towards the year of 460."

By Dr. Raúl Lavalle – Greek Latin Studies Institute Director at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA)

Translation by Conrad O’Neill