Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick is the first great and distinct figure in the authentic history of Ireland. The story of his life is interesting; and the results of the good work that he did, in bringing the entire Irish people within the civilizing fold of Christianity, remained for ages after he himself had been laid in the grave. Patrick was a Gaul, and was born and brought up in the seaside town which we now call Boulogne, in France. There he was born, probably at the beginning of the fifth century (400). His father was a well-to-do citizen, and Patrick was no doubt fairly educated in his boyhood. But when he was sixteen years old, his country was invaded by the warlike Irish king Nial. Patrick himself was captured, carried over to Ireland, and, as befell all prisoners of war in those rude clays, was sold into slavery. His master was a great Irish chief named Milcho, in the county of Antrim. During the seven years that he was a slave, Patrick tended his master's sheep on the Antrim hills.

When Patrick was twenty-three, he succeeded in making his escape. He ran away, hid himself in a vessel, and thus got safely back to Gaul. He now became a Christian priest, and was soon known for the fervor with which he performed the duties of his sacred office. He resided for a while at Tours, and then repaired to Rome, where he rose high in favor at the Papal court. All the while, his mind was filled with thoughts of the pagan land where he had spent his youth in servitude. He remembered with horror the hideous rites of which he had been a witness,—the cruel human sacrifices, the idolatrous worship of the sun and of fire, the severity of the rule of the Druids, and the ignorance and abasement of the people. His heart longed to raise them out of their degraded condition, and to bring them into the light of the Christian faith. As he dwelt continually upon these thoughts, he began to be visited by strange dreams, and then by startling visions. It seemed to him as if God were thus commanding him to leave his work in Rome, to go and convert the Irish.

At last he had a vision which decided him. He thought that an angel came to him in his dreams, holding a scroll on which was plainly written, "The voice of the Irish." At the same time, he seemed to hear the wailing and groans of the benighted people. Despite all the dangers which threatened him, Patrick finally resolved to go and preach in the land of his former captivity. He made known his resolution to Pope Celestine, who gave him authority to convert the Irish. More than twenty years had elapsed since his escape from slavery. Patrick was now a middle-aged man, robust of frame, brave of heart, and fervid of spirit. It is not known in what year he arrived, with a few fellow-priests, off the Irish coast; but it is certain that it was in the first half of the fifth century. He attempted to land on the shores of Wicklow, on the eastern coast, south of the spot where Dublin now stands. But the fierce Irish had heard of his coming, and assailed his vessel from the shore with a storm of missiles.

He then sailed northward, and succeeded in landing on the coast of Antrim, the county in which he had lived as a slave. With his little group of missionaries, Patrick began his preaching at a place called Saul. He held his meetings in a barn, where he caused a rude altar to be erected, and where he exhorted the natives who could be induced to enter to abandon Druidism and embrace Christianity. But Patrick's zeal outstripped the first results of his mission. He was impatient to make conversions on a wider field, and on a larger scale. So he bravely resolved to appear before the arch-king Leoghaire himself, surrounded though he might be by his warriors and priests. So sure was Patrick of the truth of his teaching, and so ardent was he in its cause, that he did not despair of success, even in such a presence.

It happened that the arch-king was about to hold a joyous festival in honor of his birthday, on the royal hill of Tara. There would be a vast gathering of princes, champions, priests, and bards from every part of the island; and the historic hill would swarm with the fierce soldiery of the barbaric court. There would be solemn religious rites attended by ghastly human sacrifices. This celebration was to take place, Patrick learned, on the day before Easter. Inspired by a bold resolve, Patrick bade adieu to his little flock at Saul, embarked on his ship, and landed at the mouth of the Boyne. From thence he proceeded directly across the great plain that spreads out between the Boyne and the hill of Tara. He was only attended by a few Irish-men, whom he had recently converted. He stayed one night at the house of a kindly chief, whom, with all his family, Patrick persuaded to accept the Christian faith. On the third day of his journey, the Saint beheld, in the distance, the edifices and lofty trees which crowned the royal eminence. Above them all rose the king's palace and his banqueting-hall, now decorated for the birthday festival.

But no fires were lit on the massive Druid altars on the hill, nor anywhere in the country roundabout. For the arch-priest had ordained that, at a given moment, they should all be lit in honor of the monarch. Patrick, however, deliberately disobeyed this command. He lit his fire before his camp, on the slope opposite Tara. No sooner slid the pagan hosts perceive what they regarded as an act of audacious treason and sacrilege, than they rushed over to Patrick's camp, seized him and his companions, and dragged them into the presence of the arch-king and his courtiers and priests, who were gathered in a large open space. Patrick remained undaunted in the midst of his angry enemies. One of the chiefs, acting according to the polite custom of the Irish, offered him a seat; and he sat down. Then he was commanded to say why he had committed such an outrage against the religion of the land.

Patrick felt that his opportunity had come. Inspired rather than frightened by the scene, by the historic spot on which he stood, and by the multitude of fierce and glowering faces which surrounded him, he nerved himself for a supreme effort of eloquence. He spent but a few words in justifying his act of lighting the fire. Soon, he was boldly showing the barbaric concourse the cruelty, the falsity, and the absurdity of their faith. They listened in spellbound wonder. Then, with all the fervor of his soul, he told them the story of Christ; of his miracles; the wise, good, humane, lessons which he taught; and the church which he had founded on the earth. Rude as were the spirits he addressed, the minds and hearts of many of them were touched by his glowing words. Their wrath subsided. They looked at each other, and murmured. When Patrick had finished, a hubbub of confused voices arose.

Forthwith nobles, priests, and warriors began to argue eagerly with each other. Some boldly took the part of the Christian; others hotly opposed him; many wavered in their faith. Then a wonderful thing happened. The daughters of the arch-king Leoghaire declared themselves converted. Several great princes and chiefs followed their example. At last, the arch-Druid himself, the head of the entire pagan church of Ireland, embraced the new faith. Patrick hastened to baptize his new converts; and presently great numbers of the chief men of Ireland, including many Druid priests, came to the baptism, and were thus received into the Christian church. The arch-king, though he did not receive Christianity, shielded Patrick from violence, put him under his own protection, and assigned the Saint the castle of Trim, not far distant from Tara, as his residence. Thither Patrick repaired, to continue without ceasing the great and good work which he had undertaken, and which had been so auspiciously begun.

It is no wonder that Druidism, with its long hold upon the Irish, died hard. For many years, Patrick's struggles against it were bitter and constant. Plots were concocted by Druid priests to murder him as he journeyed in lonely places. The priests denounced him from their altars, and made sport of his actions. The bards took up the cause of the old faith, and poured out songs of indignation. Some of the chiefs forbade him their territories. But Patrick gradually won over a host of ardent Irish disciples. His converts constantly increased; and his influence spread from Tara to Armagh in the north, and to Cashel in the south. Then the Druids sought refuge in the forests and in the islands off the coast, where they could still perform their pagan rites unmolested. As fast as he had converted a district, Patrick established missions in it, caused monasteries to be erected, and left native priests to conduct the church services, and to continue his work. He himself went continually from place to place, visiting these missions; and in the later years of his life, although he usually journeyed on foot, he was attended by a numerous retinue. In this retinue were bell-ringers, chamberlains, cooks, workers in metals, brewers, smiths, and embroiderers, as well as priests and monks.

Patrick did not lay violent hands on the ancient customs of the Irish. So far as he could consistently with his sacred mission, he left the traditions of the people untouched. He kept the pagan holidays as Christian holidays. But he reformed the old laws, making them more enlightened and humane, and removing from them everything which recognized or protected the Druid faith. He led the Irish gently, and by gradual steps, to a higher social as well as religious state. Patrick undoubtedly lived to a very advanced age. He was probably over ninety, when, in the monastery of Saul, erected on the very spot where the old barn in which he had first preached in Ireland stood, he quietly passed away. He had done a vast and noble work; and his last hours were gladdened with a holy joy, at the thought that he had led a whole nation into the Christian fold. He was laid, with all pomp and reverence, in the church at Armagh, and has ever since been revered by the Irish as their great apostle. To this day they celebrate the supposed anniversary of his death as their principal national holiday.