Saint Patrick

Patricius Magonus Sucatas (also spelled Patercuis, or Patritius) was born in Britain sometime around 400 AD, when the country, like most countries, was under Roman rule. Though his father was a deacon, Patrick was not a particularly religious boy, and his heroes were more likely to be Roman notables than members of the church. Not much is known of his child hood or his family life, but he is likely to have enjoyed what Americans would consider a mid, to upper-middle class lifestyle, being that his father, Calpornius, besides being a deacon also held a government job in some sort of an official capacity; his family was able to enjoy a vacation home in the country.

Sometime between the age of thirteen and fifteen, Patrick admits to having committed a sin, and he was so ashamed he was never able to name it, even in his memoir, “Confessions,” written in his later years. An unlucky teenager, Patrick was kidnapped from his home by Irish brigands who dabbled in the slave trade. He was brought to Ireland and sold into the service of a man named Milchu, who purchased Patrick to care for his sheep. For the next six years Patrick spent his days alone with the animals, and this is when he began to fear and trust God, praying day and night.

One day while tending to his duties, Patrick heard a mysterious voice telling him it was time to go home, so he simply walked away from his post. He travelled upwards of two hundred miles before reaching a port, where he located a ship of pagans heading to Europe and asked the crew to bring him along. At first the crew denied Patrick, who was despondent. As he walked away he prayed with all his might, and the captain had a sudden change of heart and called to Patrick, motioning for him to come aboard.

After three days, the ship touched land and the crew was forced to make the rest of their journey by foot. After twenty eight days of walking, they had run out of food, and were nearly starved to death when the captain began to badger Patrick about God. Patrick was always talking about his all powerful, loving God, but where was this God now, when he was suffering and near death? Patrick hadn’t given up hope; he told the captain God would provide if they would only have faith. Just then, a herd of pigs came strolling into view, and everyone present was able to eat as much as he could hold. Patrick later proudly noted that his traveling companions treated him much differently from then on.