Today we begin a series of posts exploring some opinions, old and new, about Saint Patrick's Confession. I have often thought that we do not sufficiently appreciate what a blessing it is to be able to read our national apostle's own words. Yes, the Confession raises tantalizing glimpses of Saint Patrick's life and mission, only to leave us with many unanswered questions. Yet we are privileged to be able to hear the voice of a man of the fifth century in these islands at all, as this is a century noted for a dearth of historical sources. It was only in the nineteenth century when the first English translations appeared that Saint Patrick's writings were made available to the wider Irish public. Now in the twenty-first century we can readily access translations online as well as an entire site dedicated to Saint Patrick's writings courtesy of the Royal Irish Academy's Confessio site which reminds us that 'Patrick is the first identifiable person in Irish history to have his life story recorded'. It is the idea of Saint Patrick being a documented saint which also impressed the anonymous writer of the 1936 Australian newspaper article below. Curiously, he does not draw on the actual writings in the piece but the point that alone of all the patrons of Britain and Ireland, it is only Saint Patrick whose 'writings are his great and enduring monument' is well made:
ST. PATRICK
The Documented Saint
Little is known of the patron saints of England, Scotland and W ales. But the patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, is quite another matter. His name is imperishably associated with Slemish and Slane, with Fochlut or Trelawley and Downpatrick. But his writings are his great and enduring monument — his confession, his letter to Caroticus, and his immortal breastplate.
WHO St. George was remains a mystery, and his connection with England is mythical. St. Andrew was the brother of Peter, and his one great good deed was the bringing of that brother to Jesus. We know little else of him and that he ever reached the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond by either the high road or the low road is highly improbable. St David of Wales has left no relic in building, grave, or writing, only a fragrant memory of devotion and zeal.
BIRTHPLACE UNCERTAIN.
YET with all the information contained in the priceless St. Patrick documents there is considerable uncertainty about his birthplace— and some features, of his work are puzzling. Scotland, Wales, and France claim him as a son of their soil. He had associations with all three, but which gave. him birth remains in doubt There is a controversy as to whether he introduced Christianity to Ireland or whether there were not a number of churches in the land when he began his mission. Some usages of the Irish Church differ widely from those in vogue on the Continent. The rapidity with which he accomplished the conversion of Ireland seems miraculous. In one short lifetime he founded churches in every province and consecrated many bishops.
CELEBRATION OF EASTER.
THE great difference between the Celtic Church and the Roman was the date of the celebration of Easter, The Irish followed the Eastern custom, which synchronised Easter with the date of the Jewish Passover, the 14th day of the first month (Nisan or Abib). This provided that Easter Day might not fall on a Sunday. But the Western Church insisted that it should fall on the first Sunday after the full moon — so that if the 14th were a Sunday — Easter would be celebrated on the 21st to keep it apart from the Jewish rite. This was decided by the Roman Church in 198 A.D. The remarkable fact is that Ireland did not concur with this decision until the seventh century. Tradition places the education of St Patrick in the south of Gaul. At that time (the second century) St. Irenaeus of Lyons was the leading Christian' there. He was a native of Asia Minor and favoured the Eastern usage of observing Easter for a- time, hut later conformed to the usage of the West. The supposition is that St Patrick came under the tutelage of St Irenaeus and knew only his earlier custom, and so brought that custom to Ireland. There seems some plausibility in this contention.
ST. PATRICK'S CREED.
ONE of the most interesting relics of St. Patrick is his Creed, which is given in full: —
"There is no other God, nor was there ever any in time past, nor shall there be hereafter, except God the Father, un-begotten, without beginning, almighty,' as we say. And His Son, Jesus Christ, whom we declare to have always existed with the Father, from the beginning of the world, after the manner of a spiritual existence begotten .Ineffably before all beginning. And by Hjm were made things visible and invisible. He. was made man, and having overcome death He was received up into Heaven by the Father. And he gave to Him all power above every name of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth. And let every tongue confess to Hjm that Jesus Christ is Lord and God in whom we believe. And we look for His coming soon to judge the quick and the dead, who will render to every man according to his deeds. And He shed on us abundantly the Holy Ghost, the gift and earnest of immortality, who makes those who believe and obey to become children of God, and joint heirs with Christ, whom we confess and adore as One God in the Trinity of the Holy Name."
The power of one consecrated life is immensely great. In whatever century he lived and worked he made a marvellous transformation in Ireland. He may not have accomplished all that is ascribed to him. but he initiated a movement that still pulsates with life. He was ill-treated in his youth by Irish people, made a slave, hardly used by unkind masters, yet he returned good for evil, brought news of the noblest freedom to those who deprived him of liberty, prayed, toiled and died for those who despised him.
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