Happy St Patricks Day
- Thread starter Spanky
- Start date
Who was St Patrick?
Today most people know St. Patrick for green beer, banishing snakes from Ireland, using shamrocks to teach the Trinity, or his walking stick growing into a living tree. But, none of these legends has anything to do with the real Patrick.
As a teenager Patrick was kidnapped, taken from his home in southern Britain, and sold into slavery on the island of Ireland. During his six years as a slave he converted to Christianity and earned a reputation as a fervent evangelist. In the dark of the night Patrick escaped his bonds and fled Ireland. Following a long journey home he entered theological training and full-time service to the Lord. God spoke to Patrick in his dreams and told him that he would return to Ireland and serve as a missionary to the people who had kept him in servitude, and in 425 AD he did so.
Patrick served in regions of Ireland where outsiders had never traveled. While roaming through the countryside he preached to pagans and instructed Christian believers, training Irish helpers and ordaining native clergy. He brought a new way of life to a violent, war-oriented pagan culture. His work was both groundbreaking and Christ-honoring.
Just a few short decades after Patrick arrived, a healthy, Christ-honoring church was thriving, and in the centuries to come it would send missionaries to evangelize much of continental Europe. Patrick’s legacy lives on through the countless spiritual grandchildren he left to continue his work.
Today most people know St. Patrick for green beer, banishing snakes from Ireland, using shamrocks to teach the Trinity, or his walking stick growing into a living tree. But, none of these legends has anything to do with the real Patrick.
As a teenager Patrick was kidnapped, taken from his home in southern Britain, and sold into slavery on the island of Ireland. During his six years as a slave he converted to Christianity and earned a reputation as a fervent evangelist. In the dark of the night Patrick escaped his bonds and fled Ireland. Following a long journey home he entered theological training and full-time service to the Lord. God spoke to Patrick in his dreams and told him that he would return to Ireland and serve as a missionary to the people who had kept him in servitude, and in 425 AD he did so.
Patrick served in regions of Ireland where outsiders had never traveled. While roaming through the countryside he preached to pagans and instructed Christian believers, training Irish helpers and ordaining native clergy. He brought a new way of life to a violent, war-oriented pagan culture. His work was both groundbreaking and Christ-honoring.
Just a few short decades after Patrick arrived, a healthy, Christ-honoring church was thriving, and in the centuries to come it would send missionaries to evangelize much of continental Europe. Patrick’s legacy lives on through the countless spiritual grandchildren he left to continue his work.
