St. Patrick's Day gifts...
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Decade assortments are found here.
St. Patrick, the patron saint of
Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all
his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. It is known that
St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the
fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D.
At the age of sixteen, Patrick was
taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's
estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in
captivity. During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away
from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace,
becoming a devout Christian.
After more than six years as a
prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice - which he
believed to be God's - spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to
leave Ireland. To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo,
where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast.
After escaping to Britain, Patrick
reported that he experienced a second revelation - an angel in a dream
tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began
religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years.
After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual
mission - to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin
to convert the Irish. |
