The Legend of St. Patrick
History of St. Patrick
The man who would one day become Saint Patrick was born in the fifth century A.D. in Britain. When he was a teen he was kidnapped by Irish Pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. While he was enslaved he studied Christianity, and after escaping he went to study the religion further. He spent twelve years in a monastery under the tutelage of St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre. It was here that he realized his calling. He returned to Ireland with the word of God and began converting the native pagans to Christianity. History tells that he traveled Ireland for thirty years, building schools and monasteries all over the island.3 March 17, the date of the holiday, commemorates his death.
