In the early 5th century, a 16-year-old Romano-British boy named Succat, and eight others were kidnapped from the western coast of Great Britain and taken to Ireland against their will.
For the next six years, Succat or rather Patrick, was a slave. He herded sheep, which was the only company he received. During this lonely period in his life, he discovered faith and prayed about 100 times a day and 100 times at night.
According to his written account Confessio, in the last year of his captivity, he was dreaming when an angel appeared in the dream and said “You have fasted well. Very soon you will return to your native country.” Apparently, the angel also informed him of a ship that was leaving Ireland.
After this dream, Patrick walked 200 miles in the forest to arrive at the port, when he found the cargo ship he was told about in his dream and it just so happened to have a European continent destination.
However, the captain of this ship refused to let him aboard. Being a man of faith, Patrick began to pray, but was interrupted. A sailor from the ship approached them and was shouting “Come quickly - those men are calling you!” With that said, the captain changed his mind and allowed for Patrick to join them.
During this ship ride, there was a storm. This storm caused them to be shipwrecked.
Patrick and the ship’s crew wandered for weeks, unable to find civilization or food.
They were starving and unsure how much longer they would survive, when the crew began to question the Christian, asking if he could pray to his “all-powerful” God, since they were starving. Patrick did, and immediately a herd of wild pigs approached them.
This miracle led to Patrick getting his first converts, and, with the food giving them energy and strength, they were able to continue wandering, eventually finding their families.
Patrick continued to have religious visions and despite his parents protest, he left to Ireland, where he became a deacon in about 418 A.D. and a bishop in 432 A.D., leading to him to be given the title of Patricius.
Throughout his life and through his ministries he was able to convert thousand of people, baptizing them and leading them to become priests, chieftains, and aristocrats.
Saint Patrick was in his late 70s, closer to 78, when he died on the 17th of March 461 A.D.
This date is now used to celebrate his holiday.
It isn’t known for sure when St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated but it was sometime during the ninth of tenth century, in Ireland. They observes it during a Roman Catholic feast on the day of his death.
In 1601, a Spanish colony in St. Augustine, Florida, held the first St. Patrick’s Day parade.
On this holiday in 1762, Irish soldiers who were serving in the English military marched in New York City, honoring the Irish saint.
1851 brought unified parades, as a number of New York Irish Aid societies merged their parades, which led to the creation of the official New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
This parade became the world’s oldest civilian parade and the largest parade in the United States in the 2000s, having over 150,000 participants. Each year has brought approximately 3 million people in person watching to 1.75-miles parade. The crowd stays to watch this parade that lasts over five hours, year after year.
Several other states celebrate this holiday with parades with 10,000 to 20,000 participants.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the parade was cancelled in 2020 and replaced with a small, low-profile march the following year. The next year, the parade was resumed. This year’s parade will be the 264th New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
So, we should all remember that this holiday, like others, began with a man of faith.
And then he told them “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” Mark 16:15