The Feast of St Patrick

Today is Saint Patty’s day - so if it’s green it has to be good.

Dying the Chicago river kelly green is one thing, but I would think the sight of green meat, green cheese, green vegetables, green bread, and even green beer would have caused the holy monk and bishop to spend the day in prayer and fasting.




The text.

I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement [vicus] of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive. I was at that time about sixteen years of age. I did not, indeed, know the true God; and I was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people, according to our desserts, for quite drawn away from God, we did not keep his precepts, nor were we obedient to our priests who used to remind us of our salvation. And the Lord brought down on us the fury of his being and scattered us among many nations, even to the ends of the earth, where I, in my smallness, am now to be found among foreigners. Click to keep reading.

It is reported that one day he was to visit a king of doubtful intent and was asked what he was doing for protection. His answer is reported to be his hymn known as Saint Patrick’s Brest Plate.