Who was Saint Patrick?

Posted on March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

For most people St. Patrick’s Day if celebrated at all is simply the next holiday to decorate for after Valentine’s Day, or an excuse to break out the green clothing and drink some green beer.  All in good fun I suppose.

I’ve had a few green beers myself over the years.  While college at Valparaiso (Indiana), I had the opportunity to go to a couple St. Patrick’s Day parades in Chicago where they dye the Chicago River green. 

But do you know who the real Saint Patrick was?

If not, he was a pretty amazing guy…

Son of a British nobleman, at 16 years old Patrick was kidknapped by a gang of Irish raiders and carried off to Ireland for slave labor.  During his slavery he found faith in God and was strenthened through prayer.  After 6 years he escaped and made passage on a ship leaving Ireland.  But God gave him a vision and a passion for the people who had enslaved him.  Patrick eventually returned to Ireland to share the Jesus Christ with the people.  Despite great danger, including imprisonment and death threats, Patrick boldly challenged the religious and political leaders of the time and faithfully served the people of Ireland, forever changing the course of history in Ireland.

A more detailed history of St. Patrick can be found here: 

Now you’ve a good conversation starter when you’re admiring co-workers’ “Pinch me, I’m Irish” buttons.

What does St. Patrick’s Day mean to you?  How will you be celebrating it?

9 thoughts on “Who was Saint Patrick?”

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  4. Thank you for sharing this valuable note on Saint Patrick.I was particularly impressed by this phrase :”But God gave him a vision and a passion for the people who had enslaved him.” He even returned to share Jesus with the people who had enslaved him.
    WOW !!That’s a LIFE transformed by Jesus,and being changed into His likeness.May He teach us how to love Him truly from the heart.Amen.Thank you ,and God bless 🙂

  5. I think you’ve missed the subtlety of St Patrick’s Day. For generations, the Irish have been persecuted, harassed and held up for ridicule. Yet once a year, everyone wants to be Irish and the Irish are graceful enough to let them. I think that that is a very positive message.

    Thanks for the post

    1. Hi Phil, thanks for sharing what St. Patrick’s day means to you. It seems the day means different things to different people and it’s meaning has changed over the centuries. My point was to bring back into focus the real St. Patrick, without whom there would be no St. Patrick’s Day.

  6. Well know I know!!! We don’t celebrate St. Patrick that much here in Italy…
    Interesting how you can always change your destiny for the best if you don’t cling to the past and the pain!

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