You all know who St. Patrick really is... right?

Question

Dear God I hope you do.

HINT: He's not the god of drinking.

Answer 1

We are told he drove the snakes out of Ireland. As I understand it, that is a metaphor for driving the [celtic] pagans out. I believe he was a bishop.

Answer 2

Hear of Ireland God Is One God The God Of Israel The God Of Abraham, Isaac And Jacob

Answer 3

He ran the snakes (perceived evils) from Ireland, correct? I hope so because if he didn't, i had the serpents of St. Patrick tattooed on my leg for nothing.

Answer 4

What's an Irishman call a 3 course dinner?
2 baked pataters and a pint of Guiness.

Answer 5

Hes the arrogant young priest who "got the snakes out" (killed off much of the indigenous earth religion) of Ireland
Its a wonder he wasnt properly sacrificed to the gods before his mission was accomplished. Too bad!

Answer 6

He is the patron Saint of Ireland. He freed them from the pagans.
It is sad to note that people use the holiday as an excuse to drink though.

Answer 7

the Patron Saint of Ireland

Answer 8

Driving the snakes out of Ireland?

Answer 9

His English name was Maewin Succat(sp?). He was taken as a slave to Ireland and given the name Patric. He brought Christianity to Ireland.

Answer 10

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. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

Taken Prisoner By Irish Raiders
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. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. 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. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) 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. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

Guided By Visions
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. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)

Bonfires and Crosses
Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. (Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick's life became exaggerated over the centuries—spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life. )