St. Patrick Section 3

St. Patrick's Day is one Holiday that is Celebrated in Ireland and America! Not many cultural Holidays are celebrated outside of the original country that it came from. In America St.Patrick's Day is celebrated by the wearing of green, parades, and the dying of beer to the color green! Children look forward to this holiday because it is fun. Watch out ~ If you do not wear green you might get pinched!



St. Patrick wasn't born in Ireland but in Scotland, in the year 387. He was captured at the young age of 16 and was made a slave in Ireland. Soon after his capture he had a vision from God. His relationship with God became his strength to endure his 6 years of slavery. One night God gave him a vision that a boat was ready to take him back to Scotland, and he escaped on faith to find the boat. He returned home to happy parents who rejoiced at his return!

Soon Patrick realized that God was calling him to go back to Ireland to spread the word of God. So he set out to get a Christian education. Patrick wasn't his given name at birth, but given to him much later in life by Pope Celestine. It is recorded that St. Patrick's given name was Maewyn Succat.

Patrick returned to Ireland as the Bishop of Ireland. He understood the slaves and common folk of Ireland and was used by God mightly. Despite the constant threat to his life, Patrick traveled widely, baptizing, confirming, preaching, building churches, schools, and monasteries. Patrick succeeded in converting almost the entire population of the island.


St. Patrick's mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. This is the reason why St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on the seventeenth of March.
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.

Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day.

Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday, but as Christians we should use this day to reflect his life and how God wants to use all of His children to spread the Word of God and His love.

One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston.

CELEBRATION ~ IDEAS

Watch "St. Patrick, The Irish Legend"
(Fox Family Channel) together as a family. This movie is exceptional on showing God's special relationship with Patrick. The movie is filmed entirely on location in Ireland, and is the epic story of St. Patrick whose visions lead him to bring God and Christianity to the people of Ireland. This 2 hour story is set in the 5th century AD. It is full of adventure, intrigue, miracles, and discovery based upon St. Patrick's own writings and those of his 7th Century biographers, Muirchu and Tirechan. This movie is sure to inspire and touch all children age 7 and up, as well as adults.

St. Patrick was a missionary. Write letters to missionaries of the church and let them know how much you appreciate their work. Pray for their continuing work to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In honor of the Irish people learn poems and recite them on St. Patrick's Day.

Explore the heritage of the Irish people. The night before St. Patrick's Day, read aloud from a library book about Ireland. Listen to a recording of Irish music. Look up in an encyclopedia the article on Ireland, or search the internet for Irish sites. Locate Ireland on a map of the world.

Ask your parents or grandparents if you have any Irish ancestors. Find out about your hertiage. If you live in the United States you may have Irish ancestors who came over during the Potatoe Famine. Discover your own ROOTS.

Rent a Video about Irish people. Mom's favorite is "Far & Away" with Tom Cruise, and Nicole Kidman. It is a great love story about an Irish couple and the people who came to America and traveled to Oklahoma during the Oklahoma Land Rush.

Hold your own St. Patrick's Day parade. Have everyone come dressed in green or dress as Irish people.

According to St. Patrick's Confession, he comforted himself with prayer after being sold as a slave. On St. Patrick's Day, discuss ways we are in bondage in our own lives. Pray to God for guidance in finding our way out of this bondage. Talk about ways we can show courage and energy for God's work as St. Patrick did.

Have an ALL - GREEN meal on St. Patrick's Day. Serve green gelatin salad, green beans, pistachio pudding or ice cream, or anything GREEN! At meal time discuss St. Patrick's bravery and love of God. Ask family members if there are any other people who they think ought to have a day named in their honor.

Make a dinner featuring foods from Ireland.
Click HERE for our special Irish Menu.





Shamrock


St. Patrick's Day Links

Kid Fun 101
Heather's St. Patrick's Day Page
History of Ireland Page
St. Patrick's Day Greeting Cards
More St. Patrick's Day Greeting Cards
St Patrick's Quiz


A Blessing from Saint Patrick
May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields and, Until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand

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Some of St. Patrick's Writings

A blessing on the Munster people
-- Men, youths, and women;
A blessing on the land
That yields them fruit.

A blessing on every treasure
That shall be produced on their plains,
Without any one being in want of help,
God's blessing be on Munster.

A blessing on their peaks,
On their bare flagstones,
A blessing on their glens,
A blessing on their ridges.

Like the sand of the sea under ships,
Be the number in their hearths;
On slopes, on plains,
On mountains, on hills, a blessing.

"God, whom we announce to you, is the Ruler of all things."
"The God of heaven and earth, of the sea and the rivers."
"The God of the sun, and the moon, and all the stars."
"The God of the high mountains and of the lowlying valleys."
"The God who is above heaven, and in heaven, and under heaven."
"His dwelling is in heaven and earth, and the sea, and all therein."
"He gives breath to all."
"He gives life to all."
"He is over all."
"He upholds all."
"He gives light to the sun."
"He imparts splendour to the moon."
"He has made wells in the dry land, and islands in the ocean."
"He has appointed the stars to serve the greater lights."
"His Son is co-eternal and co-equal with Himself."
"The Son is not younger than the Father."
"And the Father is not older than the Son."
"And the Holy Ghost proceeds from them."
"The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are undivided."
"But I desire by Faith to unite you to the Heavenly King, as you are daughters of an earthly king."

St. Patrick's Breast-Plate

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ within me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ at my right,
Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity The Creator of the Universe.

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