Saint Patrick, one of the most popular saints in the Christian canon, has a few exciting records about his life. They show that he led a life of many hardships, twists and turns, but overcame his obstacles and had a major impact on Irish history. His own writings, especially the Confessio, give us a rare first‑person account of his life and motivations.
380 AD: Saint Patrick is best known as the patron saint of Ireland, but he was not Irish. Some believe he was born in the lowlands of Scotland, and others say it was Wales, which was under Roman control at that time. Either way, he was born as Maewyn Succat to a wealthy Roman family living in the British Isles.
406 AD: As a teenager, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold into slavery. He was forced to herd and tend sheep on Slemish Mountain.
412 AD: In his six years as a slave, he became fluent in Irish and grew religious, spending much of his time in prayer. It is said that he escaped his captivity after having a dream where God told him a ship would be waiting for him at the coast of Ireland.
415 AD: It is believed that he met with his parents in Wales, then traveled to France to become a priest, then a bishop. He later felt called to return to Ireland as a Christian missionary.
431 AD: Saint Patrick tasked himself with the teaching of Christianity and traveled the country teaching and converting many from their native religion at the time.
Many popular stories—like Patrick driving snakes out of Ireland—are symbolic rather than historical fact. The real historical figure is far more interesting than the legends that grew around him.
We still have fond memories of this fun Veggie Tales cartoon version of The Story of Saint Patrick. Did you ever watch this video when you were a kid? How do you like to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day?
