Who was Saint Patrick?

St. Patrick's Day originated in 5th century Ireland as a feast celebration of the bishop who is credited to bringing Christianity to Ireland. On March 17 every year, millions of people in hundreds of countries celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Irish culture by wearing green, going to parades, and drinking beer. But how many actually know about the real person and story of St. Patrick?

St. Patrick: The Slave

While many associate St. Patrick's Day with the country of Ireland, Patrick was not born in Ireland. Rather, he was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland to a wealthy family around AD 387. According to legend, his real name was Maewyn Succat. While he did grow up in a Christian family, he personally had little concern about the things of the Lord.

When he was 16 years old, he was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave. He watched over his master's sheep and spent many lonely nights in the green hills of Ireland. During this time, the Lord changed his heart. He believed in Jesus as his Savior from sin, reflected on the teachings of the Bible he could remember, spent much time in prayer, and grew in his friendship with God.

After six years, he had a dream where God spoke to him and said, "Your ship is ready." Patrick felt like this was a sign from God telling him to escape. Carefully, he made his way toward the coast, which was roughly 200 miles away. There, he found a ship, just like God had revealed to him in his dream, which he could travel on to take him back to Scotland and reunite with his family.

St. Patrick: The Servant

After returning home, this young man joined a monastery and dedicated his life to pursing God. After he became a priest, he adopted the name "Patricius" (or Patrick), which means "father figure" in Latin.

Patrick later experienced another dream, in which he received a letter called "The Voice of the Irish" from Victoricus, a Christian missionary from 2nd century Rome. When he opened the letter, he heard the voices of those he had met in Ireland, begging him to return to share the gospel with them. When Patrick shared his desire to return to the land of his captivity, many thought he was crazy or feared for his safety. But he was committed to doing what the Lord called him to do. After 20 years of freedom from slavery, he set sail for Ireland again—this time, not as a slave, but as a missionary for Christ.

When Patrick arrived in Ireland for the second time, he was already familiar with the various rituals, customs, and language of the Druids. This helped his evangelism efforts because he was able to take several of their Celtic symbols and use them to teach biblical truths. The most well-known illustration is the shamrock or 3-leaf clover. This clover was sacred to the Druids, and, according to legend, Patrick used it to teach about the Trinity and explain how God is three-in-one.

Overall, the Irish people were receptive to Patrick's teaching and the message of Christ's gospel. But he also faced persecution, as some of the Druids tried to ambush and kill Patrick nearly a dozen times. But the Lord protected His ambassador of the gospel, and Patrick escaped death time and time again, continuing to preach the message of salvation through Christ.

Patrick shared the gospel and served the Irish people for over 30 years. During that time, it is estimated that over 135,000 people believed in Jesus, and that he established 300 churches and consecrated 350 bishops to serve in the church. He died on March 17, 461, which is why March 17 is celebrated as St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick's Day has become a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Montserrat.

St. Patrick: The Saint

Even though many refer to this man as "Saint Patrick" and he is commonly thought of as the "patron saint" of Ireland, St. Patrick was never officially canonized by the Catholic Church as a "saint." This is primarily because the Catholic Church didn't have a formal process of canonizing saints at the time of his death. But Christian tradition has no problem calling him "Saint Patrick."

Biblically, to be a "saint" doesn't mean a person is perfect or a better Christian than others. Rather, in the Bible, the term "saint" refers to a believer who is set apart for the Lord and His kingdom. So, biblically, anyone who has trusted in Jesus as their Savior can be called a "saint" (1 Corinthians 1:2).

While there are some aspects of Patrick's theology that we disagree with because it strays from the Bible, the fact that he dedicated his life to proclaiming the gospel over a millennium ago, resulting in tens of thousands coming to faith in Christ, is definitely worth celebrating!

ALSO SEE:

• What is the gospel?
• What is salvation?
• What does it mean that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?
• What is the Bible?
• What does it mean to not be ashamed of the gospel?
• What are holy days?
• What does the Bible say about persecution?
• A Beginner's Guide to Sharing the Gospel
• How do I evangelize my loved ones without pushing them away?
• Are our dreams from God?
• Who was St. Valentine?
• The Story of St. Patrick: How Christianity Spread in Ireland (Drive Thru History: Ends of the Earth)