St Patrick Trivia

March 17 is the feast day of St. Patrick and the probable date of his death.  Other details of his life are somewhat confusing.  Only two documents written by him survive, and almost nothing exists written about him at the time tradition says he was in Ireland.  In one work, he details his early life, kidnapping from Scotland, slavery in Ireland, calling to the priesthood, and eventual return as a missionary.  (But nothing is actually 'datable.')  Everything else we ‘know’ comes down to us from documents written much after his death and tradition.  

One common tradition holds that Patrick used the 3 leafed shamrock to teach the principle of the Trinity.  Makes sense as the ‘sacredness’ of the shamrock is an ancient Irish symbol of life and three Druid gods.  Historians suggest, with some proof, that two Patrick's share the responsibility for bringing Christianity to Ireland.  St. Palladus, a French missionary sent by Pope Clement the 1st, did minor work in a different part of Ireland (and died) just before St. Patrick. Tradition has confused the two.

And while Patrick appears on the official list of Saints, he was never canonized by a pope.  His ‘sainthood’ was granted by the people he served. How very Irish.