Saint Patrick "The Apostle of Ireland" Patrick was born in the year 387 AD. His father was Calpornius, a deacon, son of Potitus, a village priest in the town of Bannavem Taburniae. His mother was Conchessa. At age 16, he was captured by Irish marauders and sold into slavery to a chieftan named Milchu in Dalriada, in present day Antrim. For six years, he tended sheep in the valley of Braid and on the slopes of Slemish - near the town of Ballymena. While in captivity, Patrick turned to God for deliverance. One night he fled, and by his own account, travelled 200 miles westward to Britain. Deeply affected by his relationship with God, Patrick went to St. Martin's monastery at Tours. He studied under St. Germain and became a priest. When Germain travelled back to Britain as a missionary, he brought Patrick with him as an assistant. While in Britain, he had a dream: "And there I saw in the night the vision of a man, whose name was Victoricus, coming as it were from Ireland, with countless letters. And he gave me one of them, and I read the opening words of the letter, which were, 'The voice of the Irish'; and as I read the beginning of the letter I thought that at the same moment I heard their voice - they were those beside the Wood of Voclut, which is near the Western Sea - and thus did they cry out as with one mouth: 'We ask thee, boy, come and walk among us once more.' " * Patrick was sent to Ireland by Pope St. Celestine I to convert the Celts to Christiantiy. The previous missionary, Palladius, had failed miserably. In 433 AD, Patrick landed near Wicklow, at the entrance of Skerries Harbor. Off the main shore, there is a rock that is said to bear his footprint - where St. Patrick first set foot on Irish soil. Patrick headed towards Dalriada, to meet his old master, pay his ransom and convert him. Along the journey, he met a chieftain named Dichu, who drew his sword against him. However, his arm became rigid as a statue and he was not able to move until he pleaded allegiance to Patrick. Patrick's missionary work in Ireland was difficult and fraught with danger. He was taken captive twelve times by his own account, and came close to death several times. Yet he persisted. In 444, Daire, the chieftain of the district of Armagh, granted land to Patrick where he could erect a church. This is now the site of the great cathedral of Armagh. When not engaged in missionary work, Patrick spent his free time in prayer. He spent 40 days fasting and praying at the top of Eagle Mountain in a mountain range in Connaught. According to legend, Patrick climbed the Mount of Crom, the holiest os all places to the Celts and home of the pagan god Crom. Upon this mountain top, Patrick wrestled demons for 40 days and nights, some demons taking the form of snakes. Patrick drove these snakes out of Ireland. when he later descended the mountain victorious, the mountain was renamed. This mountain, some 4000 feet in height, would become known as Croagh Patrick - St. Patrick's Mountain. Patrick would consecrate 350 bishops in his lifetime. His work converting the Celts to Christianity had been successful. As his life drew to a close, he had a dream where he was told he would judge the whole Irish race on the last day. St. Patrick died on the 17th of March, 461 AD at Saul (Sabhill) in County Down. He is believed to be interred where the Cathedral of Down presently stands. *From "The Confession" by St. Patrick. Translated from the original latin by Ludwig Bieler. Please be sure to stop by the website of the St. Patrick Centre: http://www.saintpatrickcentre.com/