St. Patrick
- In this page you will learn about one of the famous saint of Ireland, St. Patrick
- You will understand his contribution to the Rock of Cashel and how he is of religious significance
- You will also learn how St. Patrick's day and St. Patrick are tied together
St. Patrick isn't it a word that we are all familiar with. The first thoughts when hearing this word might be green clovers, leprechauns, a jack pot of gold, and rainbows. All of these thoughts are tied with a famous holiday we celebrate which is St. Patrick's day. Have you every wondered why St. Patrick day was even invented? It is a religious celebration that takes place on March 17th honoring the death of St. Patrick. St. Patrick was a Bishop and a Patron Saint of Ireland in the fifth century. There are many interpretations as to where he was born but the two most common are Scotland and Roman England. He was attributed with bringing Christianity to Ireland and has been viewed as a legendary figure subsequent to the seventh century. St. Patrick is known through his 2 short works; Confessio, his profound life account, and Letter to Coroticus, an open judgment of abuse of Irish Christians. St. Patrick had faced slavery in Ireland so he was aware of the Irish culture and language. St. Patrick wanted to tie his knowledge about Christianity with traditional Irish customs. He did this in various ways like in Ireland they revered their gods with fire, so to celebrate Easter he used bonfires. Also, the most dominant Irish symbol was the sun, so St. Patrick joined that symbol to the Christian cross; it is now called the Celtic cross. He felt that all of these actions and new symbols would be more familiar to the Irish.
The reason St. Patrick is related as an imperative figure in the historical backdrop of Rock Cashel is the baptism of King Aengus. This is very significant because while King Aengus was being baptized, St. Patrick had accidentally pierced a sharp iron spike through the King’s foot. The king had not even complained about the pain believing that this suffering is a part of the ceremony of being baptized. King Aengus had read a lot about Christianity and had much devotion to be enduring such a terrible pain, and considering it a part of the religious ceremony. He was baptized in the Rock of Cashel. The site was later given to the catholic church after the rulers of Munster, and it had its first house of prayer built in the twelfth century. St. Patrick is also important because he is the one who banished Satan forming the Devil's Bit Mountain and the Rock of Cashel. The cross pattée is a symbol that is associated with St. Patrick. This founding bishop of the Irish church is generally depicted in the vestments of a priest, and his miter and articles of clothing are frequently enhanced with a cross pattée. The original St. Patrick’s Cross is housed within the Hall of the Vicars Choral. Built in the early 1400’s by Archbishop O’Hedian, this hall acted as the entrance to the Rock of Cashel. At the south of the cathedral, there is a steep and slope like road, and at the head of this is a tall two-story building. The men in the choir that sang at the cathedral lived here, and there is a living room with a fireplace inside of the hall. St. Patrick’s Cross itself is preserved in an arched room underground, which also holds many other artifacts from the Rock of Cashel and other places. The room protects the Cross from any harmful weather, as well as the outside climate in general. St. Patrick had not only played a significant role when King Aengus was being baptized but also in influencing the culture and building more holy places. St. Patrick was humble and gentle man. His devotion and trust towards God was a shining example on many people. He wanted to make people believe that nothing should be feared as god is there, and the most important thing should be to have trust in him. He was able to complete that mission and affect the minds of many not just in Ireland but many foreign countries as well.
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