Six things you may not know about St. Patrick

What comes to mind when you think of St. Patrick’s Day? Shamrocks, right? The color green? Parades?

St. Patrick’s Day is one of those days that is known for its outward celebration, and not for its religious roots - but those roots are actually more interesting to me, and have made this “smaller” holiday one of my favorites!

Patrick wasn’t Irish.

He was actually born in what is now modern-day Scotland. So why is he associated with Ireland?

Patrick was a victim of human trafficking.

When Patrick was sixteen years old, he was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland, where he was held captive for six years, after which he was able to escape and return home. And that would have been the end of the story with no St. Patrick’s Day if not for the next fact.

Patrick’s faith was strengthened by his trials.

Pateick did not have a strong faith when he was captured, but that changed over the years of captivity. When he returned home, he became a priest and developed a deep concern for the land and people of his captivity.

Patrick chose to return to the land of his captivity.

His concern for those who had held him captive led Patrick to return to Ireland to share the gospel. After initial resistance, he ended up planting churches and changing the culture for the better.

Patrick died on March 17.

At least, that is the tradition, and hence the reason for our celebration on this date.

Patrick isn’t actually a “saint”.

Patrick was never officially canonized by the Catholic Church, so while his feast day is celebrated, he is not an official saint.

Honoring Patrick’s legacy

While everyone is wearing green and shamrocks, it is worth remembering that this day's namesake was a man who came to a deeper faith in Christ as a result of personal injustice and then spent the rest of his life bringing the gospel to the people who were responsible for that injustice, seeking to live out Christ every moment.

It is a wonderful day to pray for missionaries, to ponder how God can bring purpose to the worst of your circumstances, and to live Christ before everyone you meet. Perhaps these words attributed to Patrick will be your prayer as well.

“Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.”