Ever wondered who St. Patrick was and why we celebrate him? I had not given it too much thought until I read Gina’s blog the other day and she challenged me to find out more. So I googled him and found out this:
“St. Patrick is revered by Catholics for establishing Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century AD. The precise dates and details of his life are unclear, but some points are generally agreed: as a teen he was captured and sold into slavery in Ireland, and six years later he escaped to Gaul (now France) where he later became a monk. Around 432 he returned to Ireland as a missionary and succeeded in converting many of the island’s tribes to Christianity. Late in life he wrote a brief text, Confessio, detailing his life and ministry. His feast day, March 17, is celebrated as a day of Irish pride in many parts of the world.
Extra credit: A popular folk tale says that St. Patrick chased all snakes from Ireland, but there is no historical basis for this story… Another folk tale, that he used shamrocks to teach about the holy Trinity, is also generally agreed to be a myth… In Gaelic the saint’s name is Padraig.”
It’s not a lot, but it’s a start. I don’t know how I missed out getting educated about stuff when I was younger, but I figure having my own kids will give me a 2nd opportunity for learning things as I teach them about it. But hey…don’t anybody tell them that I don’t know anything! So far, I’ve got ’em fooled!
On another topic, don’t forget that today is the 17th! Go on over to Holy Mama’s site and let her know you’ve done your BSE for this month! (She gives away prizes you know)!
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