It’s St. Patrick’s Day! Every 17th of March, the day of St. Patrick’s death, the world celebrates and commemorates this holy man’s legacy.
Despite his importance, there are many myths and misconceptions surrounding this historical figure.
Today we’re separating fact from fiction with 3 facts and 3 myths about St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland.
THE MYTHS
-
St. Patrick was Irish. This is perhaps the most common misconception about St. Patrick. In reality, he was not Irish but was born in Roman Britain, which is modern-day England or Wales.
-
St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Ireland is too cold to have snakes, which are cold-blooded creatures. This story is often interpreted as a metaphor for St. Patrick's success in converting the Irish to Christianity.
-
St. Patrick used the shamrock as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity. While it's possible that St. Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock as a symbol of the Holy Trinity, there is no historical evidence to support this claim.
THE FACTS
-
St. Patrick played a crucial role in spreading Christianity in Ireland. While he was not the first Christian missionary in Ireland, he is credited with playing a significant role in the spread of Christianity throughout the country due to his fluency in Irish (not to be confused with Gaelic).
-
St. Patrick spoke Irish. St. Patrick was fluent in many languages including Irish, and he used the language to communicate with the Irish people and spread the message of Christianity.
- St. Patrick faced a lot of opposition from druids. Although he didn’t require the native Irish to surrender their belief in supernatural beings, St. Patrick wanted them to regard these beings, such as the fae folk, as demons. The druids of course opposed him, as they practiced magic and revered some of these supernatural beings.