This Day in History: 17 March 2020
17 March 461
1559 years ago, today, Saint Patrick, a Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland, died at Saul, Downpatrick, in Ireland. Much of what is known about his life comes from the book 'Confessio', which he wrote during his last years. He was born in Great Britain, to a Christian family, but was captured and enslaved at 16 years old by Irish raiders. In this role, for the next few years, he worked as a herder in Ireland, using his faith to comfort him. One night, Patrick had a dream where a voice led him to escape back to Britain, where he reunited with his family. This was not his only mystical dream, as he had another in which he was given a letter, hearing voices of pleading Irishmen as he read it, thus inspiring him to become ordained as a bishop. He travelled back to Ireland, and began to preach the Gospel, converting thousands of the Irish, as he built churches around the country. After 40 years of living in poverty, while teaching and travelling, he died on this day.
Since then, many legends have grown around Patrick. He was made the patron saint of Ireland, as he is said to have baptised hundreds of people on a single day, and to have used the Irish shamrock to describe the Holy Trinity. In art, one may also see him trampling snakes, as it is believed that he drove the reptiles out of Ireland. Saint Patrick's death is celebrated as a religious holiday, as believers attend church and celebrate with food and drink later on. Today, Saint Patrick's Day is an occasion for international celebration, as millions of people put on their green clothing to drink beer, watch parades and toast the Irish luck.
Want to find out more about the history of Saint Patrick's Day? Click here for more information.
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