Saint Patrick

March 16, 2017 2:44 pm

Green clothing, leprechauns, and shamrocks are everywhere on March 17, as people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day worldwide. The day has become a celebration of the Irish culture, with people who are not Irish or of Irish heritage taking part in the festivities. But how did this day get its name, and what is the history behind the man known as St. Patrick?

The history of St. Patrick is full of various legends, with many historians believing he lived during the 5th century and was born in Great Britain¹. When he was a teenager, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave, where he worked as a shepherd and turned to Christianity to help him through this difficult time² After escaping from slavery, he returned to Great Britain where he began to see visions from God. These visions prompted him to become a priest and minister to the Irish people, and led him to believe that God was calling him to spread the teachings of Christianity. And that is exactly what he did. After moving back to Ireland, St. Patrick spread Christianity all over the country, ultimately shaping Ireland to become the Christian centered nation it is today.

Wearing green, eating corn-beef and cabbage and having a pint of Guinness are all fun ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but you can also celebrate St. Patrick’s ideals on a daily basis. Simple choices, like how you invest your money, can help spread Christian values all over the world. St. Patrick traveled to another country to teach Christianity, but living your daily life by focusing on making Christian centered decisions can have a large impact just like St. Patrick did. Sometimes it is the smallest choices that can ultimately change the world.

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Post from: Insights