St. Patrick Research Paper

Each year on March 17th, people in America and around the globe gather to celebrate Ireland. The Irish and their descendants dye rivers green, march in parades, and eat endless plates of cabbage and corned beef, all in the name of St. Patrick, the man credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland some 1,500 years ago. Despite the worldwide celebration of all things Irish, not much is known about St. Patrick. Still, what we do know is fascinating.

Although he is the patron saint of Ireland, Patrick wasn't born on the Emerald Isle. In fact, he was born in Britain, sometime around 390 A.D. His family was well-off, owning an estate and townhouse, and his father, Calpornius, was a deacon. As he would later write in a letter known as his Confessio, or confession, Patrick was not a religious boy, having little patience for the teachings of the local priests. That changed, however, at the age of sixteen, when Patrick had

He was acclaimed as a saint soon after, but it was centuries before his legend grew to the point that he was named the country's patron saint. It wasn't until 1762 that his feast day, which was only a minor religious holiday in Ireland, was celebrated with a parade by the Irish in the American colonies as a way to honor their heritage.

Because so little is known about him, most of the stories told about St. Patrick are myths and legends. The most famous is that he was responsible for driving the snakes out of Ireland. While it is certainly true that Ireland has no snakes, this is because of geography, not religion. There probably have never been snakes in Ireland, and the seas surrounding the island are so cold it would be improbable for any to migrate there.

Although the holiday of St. Patrick's Day has little to do with the man it supposedly celebrates, there is no doubt that the saint who was captured by pirates deserves a few words of