St. Patrick's Day

Blessed St. Patrick's Day! Did you know he is an Orthodox Christian Saint? As we celebrate his incredible life, may we learn from his example and honor God through prayer and fasting. 

Here is a small biography on his life:

"Saint Patrick, the Apostle of the Irish, was seized from his native Britain by Irish marauders when he was sixteen years old. Though the son of a deacon and a grandson of a priest, it was not until his captivity that he sought out the Lord with his whole heart.

In his Confession, the testament he wrote towards the end of his life, he says, "After I came to Ireland - every day I had to tend sheep, and many times a day I prayed - the love of God and His fear came to me more and more, and my faith was strengthened. And my spirit was so moved that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and almost as many at night, and this even when I was staying in the woods and on the mountain; and I would rise for prayer before daylight, through snow, through frost, through rain, and I felt no harm." 

After six years of slavery in Ireland, he was guided by God to make his escape, and afterwards struggled in the monastic life at Auxerre in Gaul, under the guidance of the holy Bishop Germanus. Many years later he was ordained bishop and sent to Ireland once again, about the year 432, to convert the Irish to Christ. His arduous labours bore so much fruit that within seven years, three bishops were sent from Gaul to help him shepherd his flock, "my brethren and sons whom I have baptized in the Lord - so many thousands of people," he says in his Confession. His apostolic work was not accomplished without much "weariness and painfulness," long journeys through difficult country, and many perils; he says his very life was in danger twelve times. 

When he came to Ireland as its enlightener, it was a pagan country; when he ended his earthly life some thirty years later, about 461, the Faith of Christ was established in every corner" (Patrick the Enlightener of Ireland 1).

Picture: St Patrick of Ireland Large. 2018.://www.blessedmart.com/shop/hand-painted-icons/st-patrick-of-ireland-large/

Being a fervent champion for Christ, the St. Patrick Prayer describes the strength of his faith:

"I arise today

through a mighty strength,

the invocation of the Trinity,

through belief in the Threeness,

through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today

through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,

through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial,

through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,

through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

 I arise today

through the strength of the love of Cherubim,

in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels,

in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,

in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors,

in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):

against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul,

against incantations of false prophets,

against black laws of heathenry,

against false laws of heretics,

against craft of idolatry,

against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

against every knowledge that endangers man’s body and soul.

Christ to protect me today

against poison, against burning,

against drowning, against wounding,

so that there may come abundance of reward (Arakaki, 1)" 

The Truth of his words are a solemn reminder of the trials and blessings of this life. May we hold on to these words and likewise invoke the Lord with such reverence.

Contributions:

Arakaki, Robert. “Is St. Patrick an Orthodox Saint?” Orthodox Reformed Bridge, Ancient Faith Radio, 17 Mar. 2013, blogs.ancientfaith.com/orthodoxbridge/is-st-patrick-an-orthodox-saint/.

“Patrick the Enlightener of Ireland - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.” Go to Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, www.goarch.org/chapel/saints?contentid=2365.