I arise today, Through God’s strength to pilot me.

Saint Patrick’s Day, is held on March 17th, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. 385 – c. 461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick was a 5th century Romano-British Christian missionary and Bishop in Ireland. Much of what is known about Saint Patrick comes from the Declaration, which was written by Saint Patrick himself. It is believed that he was born into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the early Christian church. According to the Declaration, at the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. He spent six years there working as a shepherd and that during this time he found God. The Declaration says that God told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home. After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest. Soon after, Patrick returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. The Declaration says that he spent many years evangelizing in the northern half of Ireland and converted thousands. Tradition holds that he died on March 17th and was buried at Downpatrick.