| Saint Patrick's Day is a national festival in Ireland, which has become very popular in the world and is celebrated on the 17th of March. It is considered, that each person on this day can become an honored citizen of Ireland.
The official version says that a boy named Maewyn Succat was born approximately on the 17th of March 415 AD in Wales in the family of the Roman citizens Calfurnius and Conchessa. The father of Maewyn was a small landlord and deacon of the local church. However he accepted this designation basically for money, as young Patrick was not religiously devout.
Approximately at the age of 16 he was captured by pirates and brought to Ireland, where he rendered services to one of the leaders Milchu. Young Patrick was forced to become a shepherd and for a long period he was looking after a troop of sheep. This time he started believing in God and offering prayers.
In his "confession" he wrote: "I offered prayers several times per day. Love towards God and divine fear was becoming more and more. My faith got strengthened". After six years, as legend says, the young man heard voice, which he understood as God’s voice: "Soon you will return home". Then the voice added: "See, your ship is waiting". The young shepherd ran and the reached coast. He asked sailors to take him on board by convincing them that his family would pay the journey expenses. But the captain refused to take him. Then Patrick, as legend says, started praying again to God, and unexpectedly the captain changed his decision and took the passenger.
After reaching home, in spite of the happiness of the family in getting back the son, Patrick firmly decided to go down a spiritual path. He was introduced to the French bishop Germanus (San Sherman), who fortified him in his approach. Later he came to Ireland as a missionary on behalf of Pope Selestine I.
In Ireland the people treated him as the Saint who brought Christianity to Ireland. Though Christian monasteries existed before his arrival, nobody before him could touch the drastic hearts of the descendants of the Celts and Druids. He died, again approximately, on the 17th March 493.
Unofficially Bannaviem Taberniae is considered as the place of birth of Patrick. Questions are being raised in front of Historians as to where to search this estate or county. They are saying different versions with respect to the place of birth of this county. This could be the territory of ancient Britain and Scotland, and even could be any western country. Nobody knows.
Nobody knows even the date of his return to Ireland, whether he was alone or with friends. And finally whether Patrick brought the “Threelistnik” flower to Ireland or was this flower was linked with the saint after his death? Some scientists are not afraid to say that Saint Patrick was not at all there, this was a group of three monks.
They were the first missionaries in Ireland. Before them, there were records about the appearance of the first missionaries, for example the name of Britain Celt Kongara was well known. Kongara was the first person who conducted in Ireland a Christian Liturgy for the first time. Slightly later, this incident will be attached to Saint Patrick.
There was history about another missionary Paladius, who introduced Christianity in Ireland in 380, but he did not run the Church and was removed from it. Mainly he was carrying the title "Patrisius"! Paladius had a successor also from the Celts – Zukat. He also carried the title of “Patrisius”. The biography of this monk is like two drops of water in comparison with the biography of Saint Patrick.
Historians recall another Paladius, who was involved in missionary activities, but could not become a monk. It means – quite possibly, that St. Patrick was not a specific person, but a collective style of several missionaries that kept Ireland Christianization in history. The name Patrick is not a name, but a Roman title, which with time passed to become name.
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Traditionally St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th. This year, however, March 17 falls during Holy Week, so Ireland's bishops asked the Vatican for permission to move the saint's feast day to March 15 this year. Last time the official date was moved by the Catholic Church (because of conflicts with the beginning of the Roman Catholic Holy Week) was in 1940, and the next time it will happen only in 2160. However, despite the Catholic Church calendar, most countries still celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17 this year, and unofficially all weekend.
