For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
—Romans 8:14
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, with a shamrock as his symbol, but that’s the extent of what most Christians know about him—except that he reportedly drove snakes from Ireland. The real St. Patrick was much more complex.
Patrick was not Irish by birth. He was born in Britain and taken to Ireland as a slave when Irish pirates raided his hometown. At the time, Ireland was made up primarily of Druids and pagans. Patrick, though, converted to Christianity. During captivity, he wrote his memoir: The Confession.
Patrick was held captive until he was 20 years old, but through visions and dreams from God, he was prompted to study for the priesthood and return to Ireland. In one such vision, Patrick saw a man named Victorious who gave him one of the many letters he carried. The letter’s heading read “The Voice of the Irish.” As Patrick read the letter, he heard the people of Ireland pleading for him to come and “walk among [them].”
Patrick arrived in March of 433 and converted many Irish people. One legend claims he converted the chieftain of a Druidic tribe who tried to kill him. He also built churches across Ireland. Patrick is known for converting entire Irish kingdoms to Christianity, often using the shamrock to explain the Trinity. He is also known for preaching and working miracles. His saint’s day, March 17, 461, was also the date of his death. He is well known in the Catholic Church (and some Protestant denominations) for the Lorica of St. Patrick.
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