Happy Saint Patrick's Day - The Feast of Saint Patrick

Happy Saint’s Patrick Day the Feast of Saint Patrick by Mary Ann Cadorna

Today March 17, is a religious and cultural celebration of Saint Patrick the preeminent Patron Saint of Ireland, and observed as a Christian feast day by the Catholic Church.

Today we go more than green and going shamrock, pot of gold under the rainbow and leprechauns. And yet, the color green and specifically how the iconic shamrock has never meant so much, it’s synonymous of Ireland and Saint Patrick, a day when we celebrate both.

As his story goes, Saint Patrick was born in 385 AD, a Romano-Britain in the 4th century into a wealthy family, where his father was a Deacon and his grandfather a Christian Priest.

At age 14, he was kidnapped by Irish Raiders and taken into slavery to Gaelic Ireland, land of the Druids and pagans. He spent 6 captive years working as a shepherd, during his time of servitude he found God. His life as a slave ended when he was told by God to flee to the coast where a boat awaits to bring him home. Faithfully he fled, and met with two sailors who took him back to Britain and reunited with his family.

While back at home he “Heard the voice of the Irish” say “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.” His vision became the catalyst to join the priesthood. Six years later he returned to Ireland where he concentrated most of his time in the North. In his mission to convert he was almost killed by the chief from one of the druid tribes. And yet, with God’s intercession, Patrick was able to convert the chieftain and preach the Gospel throughout Ireland. Eventually he converted thousands of pagan Irish to Christianity and he built hundreds of churches.

Saint Patrick’s conversion of the pagans would become the metaphor of the most popular belief that he drove the snakes out of Ireland, when there are no snakes in Ireland just the druids in lieu of.

Moving from snake lore to Shamrocks the most important icon to represent Ireland and going green is the proverbial shamrock. Its significance was also symbolic of Saint Patrick’s mission of conversion, as he used the 3 leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity. He would pick up the plant and explain that each of the three leaves represented the three persons the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and all three as one Supreme Being.

Saint Patrick was a gentle man, pious and humble with love and total devotion to God. He died in Saul, on March 17, 461 AD where he built his first church. Although he is no longer with us his mission of conversion, his love of God and faith has lived on through our celebrations of his life for 1556 years. Now that is a legacy, of how just one faithful man lives on through his good works. Enjoy the green of Saint Patrick’s Day and like the shamrock may the three green leaves of this tiny plant also grow and deepen your faith.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day Everybody!

By Mary Ann Cadorna

Copyright March 17, 2017

www.MaryAnnCadorna.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Day

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=89

http://catholichotdish.com/the-pastors-page/saint-patrick-the-shamrock-and-the-trinity/