Patrick of Ireland

Patrick (born c 389 - died 461 or c 492 CE) was born in Britain to the deacon, Calpornius. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. He escaped six years later. Realizing that his harsh treatment in captivity led him to spiritual discovery, he joined the apostolate. In 432, appointed as the successor to Palladius, the first bishop of Ireland, Patrick returned to Ireland to preach, mainly in the spiritually desolate areas of the north and west, where he established a small number of monastic communities. His two main writings were the Confessio, his general autobiography, and the Epistola, in which he contemplated the ill treatment of Irish Christians by the British. St. Patrick became a legendary figure after his death. He was credited with working miracles for driving snakes from Ireland and was viewed as a great thinker for managing, among other things, to compare the Trinity to a clover. His feast day, March 17th, is still celebrated in parts of the world.

April Blazevic