Saint Patrick was born in 387AD in Britain as Maewyn Succat. His father Calphurnius was a Roman official. Saint Patrick was kidnapped at age 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland, according to his autobiography. He escaped by boat to Britain after six years of captivity and traveled to St. Martin’s monastery in Tours, France, where he studied under Saint Germain of Auxerre and became a priest. In 431AD Pope Celestine I named him Patricius and sent him on a mission to Ireland.
In 432AD he arrived in Ireland and successfully converted the island from Druidism to the Christian faith. He wrote The Confession defending his life of service and also wrote A Letter to Coroticus attacking slavery and denouncing British King Coroticus for kidnapping and enslaving his converts. These works are the only documents to have survived the fall of Rome and are in the Bibliothèque National in Paris. Saint Patrick became primatial bishop in 455AD at Ard Macha, a hill away from Emain Macha, seat of the Ulster Kings. Saint Patrick died on March 17th 461AD. The date of his death is disputed between March 8th and March 9th, so they were added together. Today Saint Patrick is revered by many Christian denominations and he is the official saint of the Church of Ireland. Many people go to sacred wells, mountains, and placenames in his honor throughout the year.
