St Patrick Research Paper

Saint Patrick’s Influence on Ireland and his Introduction of Christianity

When you hear Saint Patrick, what comes to mind? The Saint Patrick’s Day holiday celebrations, wearing green, Irish, shamrocks or maybe leprechauns. These are just some the things people often associate with Saint Patrick. However, there is indeed more importance to Saint Patrick than just the celebration of his holiday. From overcoming the hardships of slavery, to profound missionary work across Ireland. Leading to the introduction of Catholic Christianity to the Irish people, which had a significant impact on Ireland and how the Irish acquired a strong Christian background. He changed the lives, culture and the religious beliefs of a substantial amount of people in

Where he began his religious studies and was eventually ordained. He finally received the education he had once awfully regretted while enslaved. Shortly after ordination he was sent Ireland on a dual mission, to “do what no Catholic bishop had ever done before. He would go out among the heathen barbarians outside the Empire to convert them to Catholic Christianity” (Thompson 80). Saint Patrick spent his next thirty years in Ireland performing missionary work. The missionary work was a hostile environment, he was frequently threatened and imprisoned. Although, he was surrounded by hostility. He desired to give the Irish people originality, instead of immersing them with the Roman customs. In addition to originality, his intention was not to colonize them but evangelize them in a way they could grow the gospel together in Irish soil. Putting to use his knowledge of the Irish customs he became familiar with while enslaved, Saint Patrick “incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs” (History.com Staff). He really understood their culture, in doing so he was able to engage his followers by incorporating some of the Irish customs and beliefs. Meanwhile keeping true to the core Catholic Christian beliefs. Beginning with the most popular incorporation, the Celtic cross or “sun cross” which known worldwide today. Some Pagans worshipped the Sun, so Saint Patrick combined the Christian cross with a circular shape. The circle resembling the Sun as “light” and the Christian cross as a way of “life”, making the connection of light and life. Another popular incorporation was the Shamrock, better known as “The Holy Trinity” or the three-leaf clover which many people still today associate with Saint Patrick’s Day. With the idea that God representing the center, while each leaves accounting for representation of the