Who Was Saint Patrick?

Baylie Kress
Staff Writer 
  Saint Patrick's Day originated nearly 1,000 years ago and has been celebrated by many since the feast of Saint Patrick’s Day. Saint Patrick, a patron saint and apostle in Ireland, was a sponsor for the Saint of Ireland, he died about fifty centuries ago; twelve centuries before the current holiday was ever started. Although this holiday is filled with clovers and threats of being pinched, Saint Patrick’s Day goes far beyond a modern-day celebration.   
  Saint Patrick was a bishop for the church and is often credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Having been born in Britain, he was later brought to Ireland by a group of Irish raiders. The raiders held Patrick captive for six years to work as a farmhand and shepherd. During his imprisonment, Patrick became a devout Christian, and some believe he began planning how to convert the Irish to Christianity upon his release. One day, he had a dream that he was going to escape and return to Britain to see his family again; the dream did come true, Saint Patrick found refuge upon a ship, and he reunited with his family. Upon his return to Ireland in 1433, he began preaching sermons, converting nonbelievers, and building churches for worship. After nearly four decades of sharing his truth, Saint Patrick eventually passed away on the 17th of March; thus, Saint Patrick’s Day was born. 
  Saint Patrick was known in Ireland for the spread of Christianity, even though much of his life remains a mystery. Throughout the years, many rumors have surfaced regarding the apostle's life and death. Some claimed Saint Patrick baptized hundreds of converts within a single day. Others believe Saint Patrick was responsible for driving all snakes out of Ireland in an effort to cleanse the land of Paganism. Whether or not his life was as miraculous as scholars claim, the death of Saint Patrick will always serve as a historical, viridescent tradition.