Happy St. Patrick's Day--The truth about Patrick

Have you ever had someone say something untrue about you, something that could really damage your reputation?  That is exactly what has been done to Patrick.  I think that the true Patrick for which this holiday has been named would be horrified to see what is done in his "honor".

"Patrick", (real name Sucat) was born around 389 AD in Britain, not Ireland.  His father was a deacon and his grandfather a pastor.  This is before Catholocism even reached Britain, so it would have been rather difficult for him to be a Catholic! 

Patrick actually went to Ireland from England on two different occassions.  First, unwillingly, he was captured by Scottish pirates at age 16 who sold him to a Druid chieftain in northern Ireland.  He herded cattle for him.  He remembered his father and grandfather's teachings about God (a sure contrast from the things he observed in the Druids, I'm sure) and turned to God.

After 6 years, he was able to escape and after a difficult trip, made it back to Britain.  His parents begged him to never leave Britian again.  However he would go to Ireland again this time willingly after he heard the call of God to go as a missionary.

He was not sent by the Catholic Church.  There is no record of Patrick in Catholic records until Patrick has been dead for 175 years.

At 40, he went to Ireland to begin his mission work.  The work was not easy.  The people sacrificed their own children on alters to false gods.  He came into notoriety when he lit a fire on the Eve of Easter, when it was forbidden to light a fire.  The king sent for him.  He and his fellow missionaries went to see him under threat of their lives by the Druids.  They preached the gospel to the king.  The king believed and was baptized.  After this, he went on to win thousands to Christ during his 33 year ministry.  By the end of his ministry, the entire country of Ireland had been evangelized and many churches were started.  The Catholic church, though very influential was not able to sink its roots into Ireland until 1172AD, 700 years after Patrick had gone there.  This is amazing when you consider how far Catholocism had reached long before this time.

I have decided not to wear green for St. Patricks day, since the day in no way honors the person it is supposed to be honoring.  It has become an excuse to get drunk and pinch people.  Instead it should be a day to remember our job to be missionaries wherever we are!

For more information, visit:  http://www.reformedreader.org/history/patrick.htm
*I have not read everything on this site.  What I have read seems to be good, but I am in no way endorsing everything on the site.  Please read any information you find anywhere except the Bible with great discernment.