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SUPERHEROES OF IRISH CHRISTIANITY: ST. PATRICK

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BACKGROUND OF ST. PATRICK
St. Patrick was born in 387 near the West Country (possibly in southern Dorsett) of Roman Britain. As a
teenage boy, he was kidnapped by raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave. Tradition has it that he
spent this time on Mount Slemish in County Antrim, sitting 1,437 feet above the plain.

Figure 1. (left) Patrick is kidnapped by barbarians. (right) Mount Slemish, where St. Patrick spent six
years as a young slave.
It was there that he presumably shepherded sheep or raised pigs for his master, the pagan Miliucc. It
was not until years later, upon which St. Patrick escaped Ireland and returned to his hometown with his
parents that he heard the call from his guardian angel, Vicotrius, to return to Ireland.

Figure 2. St. Patrick and the angel Victorius.
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As a result of his calling, St. Patrick dedicated himself to God, assumed the holy orders of priesthood,
and appealed to the pope, Celestine I, to undergo his mission to convert Ireland to Christianity. Also,
at that time, there were already existing missions in Ireland and established factions, or churches of
Christianity that were presumably less spread out and/or less capable of penetrating the control that the
druids and pagans had on the land. Also, the church itself was internally caught up in doctrinal issues
that may have detracted its ability to focus on missionary efforts. One of those issues were the beliefs
of a theologian Pelagius, who St. Patrick must have been well exposed to, and whose interests were to
fight Pelagianism as that of heresy.

Figure 3. Patrick made a detour on way to Ireland to a bishop named Amathorex, who consecrated
Patrick as bishop.
His first try was not successful, however, as it was not Patrick who was sent by the pope to be bishop of
Ireland. Instead, Paladius, who was sent in the year 431 to become bishop of Ireland by Pope Celestine
had that distinction. St. Patrick did not get his chance, because, as he states in his own "Confessio",
one of his childhood friends betrayed him by bringing up one of St. Patrick's sins of his past, causing a
stir and enough doubt that would make the saint take a detour on his calling. It is unclear if this is how
the confusion arises between the claims that there were two Patricks (an older one - Paladius, and a
younger one- Patrick), but this is rather confusing, and somewhat demystifies the legend of the saint.
Because he could not yet get authority to go to Ireland, St. Patrick spent some time learning from St.
Germanus of Auxerre, a famous English monastic and theologian of the time. St. Germanus had
enough influence in the church and was aware of St. Patrick's history and interests; moreover, it is
thought that St. Patrick was installed in Ireland in 432, not long after Paladius. Paladius may have
returned or was killed while in Ireland, and since there is no record of Paladius after 431.


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ST. PATRICKS STRUGGLES WITH THE INFLUENCES AND PEOPLES OF PAGANISM
Once St. Patrick arrived in Ireland, it is likely that he was not alone, and was probably sent with
companions, most of whom are likely from England as well. Regardless, St. Patrick was either urged or
impelled to convert his former master, Miliucc. The setting that tradition holds for this encounter is at
the place now called "St. Patrick's Barn", or Saball Patraic, in Irish. This site is important in other
traditional writings, as it is one of the sites where St. Patrick supposedly died (according to the writings
of Muirchu). Nevertheless, once St. Patrick arrives to confront Miliucc, there was another druid,
named Dichu who at the same time was about to head St. Patrick off. According to legend, Dichu went
so far as to only look upon the face of St. Patrick, upon which he was immediately converted and the
Lord turned Dichu's thoughts to good. Miliucc, on the other hand, never saw St. Patrick again, because
before St. Patrick ever engaged Miliucc, either by fear or spite, Miliucc never gave St. Patrick that
chance. Miliucc apparently killed himself by setting his own property and self on fire. St. Patrick
arrived too late and before he left the burning ashes of Miliucc's property, he declared that Miliucc, a
provincial king, would, or at least the rest of his entire household, never return to power and serve as
servants for the rest of their days. In other legends, even though Miliucc is consumed by fire, St.
Patrick uses his own powers of a heavenly, saving "fire", called from upon heaven, emanating from the
saint's mouth into the mouths of Miliucc's son (thereby purging any of his father's influence), not to
destroy, but by which he converts Miliucc's children and brings them into the church as their spiritual
father, and no one else, not even Miliucc's son, was harmed.

Figure 4. A picture of a replica of an early Irish church at Saul, very close to the region identified as St.
Patrick's barn.
The aforementioned story is intriguing, because it is perhaps a fast-glimpse, or reflection of St. Patrick's
other encounters with a king, Loegaire (the king of Ireland). The story begins with St. Patrick's defiance
of pagan culture and that of the rules imposed by the druid king that no fire should be burned before
the pagan feast of Tara. At that time, the eve of the pagan feast coincided with Easter, St. Patrick was
obligated, by God, as custom, to light the Paschal fire, even if that was in direct violation of Loegaire's
rule.
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Figure 5. St. Patrick lights a bonfire in the plain of Brega in clear view and defiance of pagan practices,
which banned the kindling of any light (except by King Loegaire) prior to the feast of Tara.
St. Patrick's act of defiance puts him at odds with the king. So, king Loegaire sends an entourage to
presumably cut St. Patrick off before he reaches king Loegaire's camp. The group of pagans who meet
St. Patrick begin in a hostile manner, though without words, but with muscle, in flexing by coming loudly
with chariots and horses. One of the druids, named Lochru, finally speaks, by belittling the catholic
faith with reckless words. St. Patrick responds with powerful words, as if from God, whereupon the
words themselves almost lifting the druid in the air and throwing him back down smashing his skull onto
a stone and killing him. The druid king, Loegaire, is angered, and orders St. Patrick and his companions
killed. At that point, the St. Patrick prays to God once again, and darkness descends upon the
assembly, accompanied by an earthquake. The saint and his party miraculously escape to safety in the
form of deer. The story is likely also a derivation of ties with Celtic mythology of soveriegnty, because
sometimes the hero wins kingship through a deer hunt. As told in this story, king Loegaire misses out
on the hunt of deer in a supernatural disguise (deer), thereby missing rights to proper kingship.


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Figure 6. The escape from king Loegaire by St. Patrick and his colleagues. It is customary to name a
few of St. Patrick's band with non-Irish names, either because they were also from England, or because
they were given imaginary names to help connect the formations of cults around these legends. Their
names were seemingly created after what manner of person they were reported to be. Such type of
meanings are found here: Auxilius was Patrick's helper, Secundius his second in command, Iserninus,
the hard man of the mission, and Benignus, its kindly face. In the picture above, Benignus is
characterized as a fawn with a bundle on its back escaping king Loegaire, because of his early allegiance
as a boy to St. Patrick.
One of the most common prayers attributed to St. Patrick is associated with this event. It is known as
Saint Patricks Breastplate, the Lorica of St. Patrick, or The Deers Cry. The last title is given for
obvious reasons. One version of the prayer is given below:
For my shield this day I call:
A mighty power:
The Holy Trinity!
Affirming Threeness,
Confessing oneness,
in the making of all
Through love ...
For my shield this day I call:
Christ's power in his coming
and in his baptizing,
Christ's power in his dying
On the cross, his rising
from the tomb, his ascending;
Christ's power in his coming
for judgement and ending.
For my shield this day I call:
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strong power of the seraphim,
with angels obeying,
and archangels attending, in the glorious
company
of the holy and risen ones
in the prayers of the fathers in visions prophetic
and commands apostolic
in the annals if witness ...
For my shield this day I call:
Heaven's might,
sun's brightness,
Moon's whiteness,
Fire's glory,
Lightening's swiftness,
Wind's wildness,
Ocean's depth
Earth's solidity,
Rock's immobility.
This day I call to me:
God's strength to direct me,
God's power to sustain me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's vision to light me,
God's ear to my hearing,
God's word to my speaking,
God's hand to uphold me,
God's pathway before me,
God's shield to protect me ...

From evil enticements,
from failings of nature,
from one man or many,
that seek to destroy me,
anear or afar ..
Around me I gather
these forces to save
my soul and my body ...
Against knowledge unlawful
that injures the body,
that injures the spirit.
Be Christ this day my strong protector
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against poison and burning
against drowning wounding
through reward wide plenty

Christ beside me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ within me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right hand,
Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie,
Christ where I sit,
Christ where I rise,
Christ in the hearts of all who think of me,
Christ in the mouths of all who speak to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me,
Today I put on
a terrible strength,
invoking the Trinity,
confessing the Three,
with faith in the One
as I face my Maker.
St. Patricks battles with king Loegaire would not end there. The next trial ordeal was a set up where
Loegaire invited St. Patrick over to his castle on the false pretense that they would dine together. After
St. Patricks clear victory at their previous encounter, Loegaire and his druid warlock Lucet Mael
conspired together to poison St. Patrick with a drink he offered. Upon St. Patricks arrival, well aware
of any suspicious ruse, he blessed the cup in the sight of all and the liquid in the cup became like ice.
After St. Patrick turned the cup over, only the poison drop fell out, after which, St. Patrick turned cup up,
blessed it again and the liquid returned to its natural, harmless, state. St. Patrick and Lucet would have
it out. Each challenged the other in front of a crowd, but it was St. Patrick who would prove to have
the most control of disposing any of Lucets threats, such as darkness, precipitation, and fog. Lucet
was so intimidated that he would not even compete with St. Patrick in a test of water and books,
because the druid was well aware of the power of the signs that St. Patrick could be installed through
what he had seen or heard of the saints use of those in Gods word (the bible) and the sacraments
(baptism). Lucet finally dared St. Patrick to his final test; after king Loegaires command that they be
tested in fire, St. Patrick proposed that his God would protect him from fire and tested the druids mettle
by challenging him to enter into a burning house with St. Patricks clothes on at the same time as his
companion St. Benignus. The druid accepted the challenge, and while St. Benignus was spared any
harm in the burning pyre, Lucet was burned up, even though St. Patricks clothing, which he wore, did
not suffer harm. The kings fate is rather more obscure. King Loegaire ends up neither being
converted, nor killed. The kings influence has been diminished, and in most cases, he goes down in
history clinging to his pagan heritage resentful of the transformation of the land he once ruled.
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However, there are also stories about St. Patricks converting influence on king Loegaires family, for
instance, one summer day the daughters of king Loegaire, Ethenea and Fidelmia, went out one morning
only to find St. Patrick and his companions praying. They asked the saint who he was and where he
came from, to which the saint responded, they were to be focused on more important things, such as
who God is. Both girls were baptized that day, and after having Holy Communion at mass, they died of
longing to see Jesus Christ so much.
There are other kings who St. Patrick encountered, but none that seem to have bothered him so much
as to be notable, except for that of Coroticus. It is unclear what happened between St. Patrick and
Coroticus, but the story between them ends in a scathing rebuke tantamount to excommuncation of the
English king, Coroticus. This is also evidence that St. Patrick did hold the office of bishop in Ireland,
since he had the justification and authority to do so. Nevertheless, there is a rather anti-climactic close
to Coroticus fate, as it is commonly told that St. Patrick turned him into a fox after which the fox
disappeared.

Figure 7. St. Patrick excommunicates Coroticus (fox) from the world.


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REFLECTIONS OF JESUS IN THE LIFE OF ST. PATRICK
Although there are several implied and underlying comparisons between Jesus and St. Patrick, only
some will be briefly (and quickly) reviewed. First, just as Jesus had 12 apostles, St. Patrick had several
companions. St. Patrick and his several disciples followed him and carried out his mission of baptizing
and evangelizing through Ireland. Second, like Jesus, there are also a couple accounts including
resurrection and St. Patrick. One of those resurrection accounts involves St. Patricks own sister, who
he saved early on in their lives. Another resurrection account involves a challenge from another Irish
king, Mac Cuill, who tried to trick St. Patrick by sending a servant to St. Patrick to heal even though the
servant was not sick but only feigning illness St. Patricks response to the ruse was to strike the servant
down dead only to resurrect him in order to manifest Gods glory. Third, St. Patrick was also known to
have retreated in prayer very often, like Jesus was known to do on occasion most of his prayer life was
well-rooted from his harsh early young adulthood as a slave, where nakedness and hunger were two
of his constant companions. Lastly, as Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40 days and nights, St.
Patrick did undergo a period of torment on the mist-covered mountain Croaghpatrick during Lent he
cast demons out of Ireland. It is said during his ordeal on Croaghpatrick that he drove the snakes out
of Ireland.

Figure 8. St. Patrick strikes down a servant of the Irish king, Mac Cuill, only to revive him right after,
thereby manifesting Gods glory and converting Mac Cuill to Christianity.
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Figure 9. St. Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland, symbolizing St. Patrick driving away temptation
and the demons of his time.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS OF ST. PATRICK
St. Patrick most likely died in 493 in Saball, which is near the aforementioned St. Patricks barn.
Although it is difficult to reconcile which of the early writing accounts of St. Patrick are based on actual
events and which were formed by Irish/Celtic cult, a lot of the more popular anecdotes were likely
derived hundreds of years after St. Patrick died. A classic example, the shamrock, which was
popularized for its reputation as a teaching symbol that St. Patrick mythically used to explain the
paradox of the Holy Trinity (one God in three Persons).
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Figure 10. (left) St. Patrick uses a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to pagan druids. (right) The
shamrock, which isnt a unique genus of species of plant, has been debated by botanists, who actually
trace the plant to a winter resting stage of the white or yellow clover picked in mid-March in Ireland.
Nevertheless, it is undoubtful that thousands of stories that have lasted the test of time are largely due
to the fact that St. Patrick was a pioneer in a new land and remarkably helped conquer the entire
country of Ireland, along with his companions, not as a red martyr, but in a peaceful manner. In
addition, St. Patrick also appears to be the result of a powerful discipline of Christian empowerment that
was the trademark of his time. His system of missionary conversion originated from sources he pulled
from much of the time he spent studying under the tutelage of such greats as St. Martin of Tours.
Others who came out of that system of monastic rule were St. Ninnian, whose influence would later
produce a team of all-stars in Celtic legend, such as St. Finnian, and, by immediate successive
generations of understudy, St. Columba the poet of Iona. The stories of all those saints, as well as
the rest of the stories of St. Patrick are numerous, and cannot all be accounted for here. Each story is
full of mysticism, and each is just as intriguing as the other. Not all of the lives of these saints is too
complex, but as the books are read, the pages begin to unravel, and after layer upon layer, the truth is
that the hero of each story is an imprint of the most holy work (word) of God.
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Figure 11. An early Irish monastic reads an illuminated manuscript in the foreground while outside
others who proselytize the gospel message are warmly welcomed by nearby residents. Pagans remain
dark in the shadows.



For my brother: Happy St. Patricks Day! Happy Birthday!
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References
Cahill, T. How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role From the Fall of
Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe. Nan A Talese. 1995.
Doyle, D. Doyle Clan Saint Patrick Patron Saint of Ireland. Online:
http://www.doyle.com.au/saint_patrick.htm. 2011
Dumville, D. N. Saint Patrick A.D. 493-1993. The Boydell Press. 1993.
Hopkin, A. The Living Legend of St. Patrick. St. Martins Press. 1989.
Nagy, J. F. Conversing with Angels and Ancients. Cornell University Press. 1997.
The Holy Bible: King James Version. Grand Rapids, MI: World Publishing.
Vess, D. Celtic Monasticism: History and Spirituality. Online:
http://deborahvess.org/ids/medieval/celtic/celtic.html. 1999.