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Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Patrick of Ireland''', [[Bishop]] of Armagh and [[Enlightener]] of Ireland, was born a Briton. Captured and brought to Ireland as a slave, he escaped and returned home. Later, he returned to Irelandas a [[missionary]], bringing Christianity to its people. His feast day is [[March 17]](OS) / March 30 (NS).

Saint Patrick was born around 390 (likely in 387), at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland. His name is from the Latin ''Patricius'', meaning ''high-born''. His parents were part of the Christian minority of Britain; his father, Calpurnius, was a [[deacon]], "the son of Potitus, a priest, of the village Bannavem Taburniæ. Around " At the age of fourteen16, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. During that time, he prayed frequently and came for the first time to have a true faith in God. At age 20 22, he had a vision in which God told him to be prepared to leave Ireland. Soon, he escaped , walking 200 miles to a ship and returned returning to England. In a dream, where he received saw the people of Ireland calling him, "We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us."  St Patrick sought clerical training. He was ordained by St. [[Germanus of Auxerre|Germanus]], bishop of Auxerre. Around 430 he was ordained a bishop, after which he returned to Ireland. There, he preached the [[Gospels|Gospel]], reaching tribal chieftains, gaining their permission to teach their subjects also. During his episcopate, he was attacked for a sin he confessed to a close friend, a sin he committed "in a single hour" when only 15, but he did not suffer as a result. He established an episcopal administration and led a [[monasticism|monastic]] lifestyle, establishing Christianity in Ireland. St. Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 461.

^{[[#External Links links and Sources|1]]} Saint Patrick wrote this semi-autobiography as a labor for God, explaining the story of his life to inspire others to believe and turn their lives to God. Additionally, he wished to address concerns his fellow clergy had about his holding the office of bishop.

^{[[#External Links links and Sources|2]]} Saint Patrick wrote this letter to the soldiers of King Coroticus to chastize them for capturing Christians of Patrick's flock as slaves.

Saint Patrick is most often recognized for likening the [[Trinity]] to a shamrock, illustrating that the shamrock has three parts, and yet is one; in a similar way, the Trinity has three persons, and is still one God. (cf. the [[OCA]]'s icon^{[[#External Links links and Sources|3]]})

^{[[#External Links links and Sources|4]]} ''Lorica'' means ''breastplate'' in Latin. The story of this prayer is that Patrick and his followers used this most beautiful prayer to protect themselves from the people who wanted to kill them as they travelled across Ireland. It is also called the ''Deer's Cry'' (''Fáed Fíada'') because their enemies saw, not men, but deer. It may not have been written by Patrick, but is considered to reflect his theological focus on the Trinity.

:in obedience of [[Angels]], in the service of the [[ArchangelsArchangel]]s,

*Muirchu's ''Life of Saint Patrick'', written c. 683 (two centuries after Patrick's death), is the oldest existing, known work about Saint Patrick.^{[[#External Links links and Sources|5]]}

*¹ [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.i.html ''Confessio'' of Saint Patrick] (in [http://wwwhome.amdgscarlet.be/amdg/oldies/sankt/confess.htm French])

*[http://www.voskrese.info/spl/fiacc.html ''Hymn of Saint Fiacc''] (in [http://wwwhome.amdgscarlet.be/amdg/oldies/sankt/fiacc.html French])

*[http://celticchristianity.org/library/secund.html ''Audite, omnes amantes Deum''], or ''Hymn of St. Patrick, Teacher of the Irish'', by his nephew Saint Sechnall or Secundinus (in [http://wwwhome.amdgscarlet.be/amdg/oldies/sankt/patrick-sechnall.html French])

*[http://stmaterne.blogspot.com/search/label/saint%20Patrick Saint Patrick's ''Life'' , prayers, history in French], with [[icon]]s: *[http://www.amdgcomeandseeicons.becom/sanktp/patrick-bollmdg01.html 1] [http://wwwhtm Icon of St.amdg.be/sankt/mar17.html 2Patrick of Ireland]

[[Category:Saints]][[Category:Saints of the British Isles]][[Category:Celtic and AngloPre-Saxon Schism Western Saints]]

[[Category:SaintsWonderworkers]][[Category:5th-century saints]] [[es:Patricio de Irlanda]][[ro:Patrichie al Irlandei]]