 |
The Legend of Saint Patrick
As you know, the most famous legend of Saint Patrick is of driving all the snakes from Ireland. There are many other legends, but this one leaves the most vivid image in my mind. It's a childhood memory of when my mother first told me of Saint Patrick and the snakes. I could see Saint Patrick standing on the shores of Ireland in his green robe. His staff outstretched swinging side to side toward the open water, the snakes swimming in fear out into the open ocean never to return to Ireland again. I still carry this image in my mind.
I know now there never were snakes in Ireland. I think this legend is symbolic of Saint Patrick bringing Christianity to Ireland. Driving the serpent (pagan beliefs) from Ireland.
The Christening of Saint PatrickThe legend of Saint Patrick begins on the day he was christened. On that day, it is said, three miracles occurred. A priest named Gornias blind since birth had no water to baptize Saint Patrick. He was told to make the sign of the cross with the infant's hand over the ground. When he did a fountain of water came out of the ground. That's the first miracle. Gornias washed his own face and eyes with this water and it gave him sight. That's the second miracle. Gornias without ever seeing a written word in his life was able to read the words of baptism over Saint Patrick. That's the third miracle.The legend of Saint Patrick goes on to say that he performed many other miracles in his youth. I will write about a few more for you.
How he stopped the flood.Patrick was at his aunt's house as a child. During a winter thaw, the house as well as many others in the village became flooded. This also put out the fires they needed to stay warm. Patrick being a child was only concerned about being fed. His aunt told him, as she stood amid her floating furniture, there were more important things to worry about than food. Patrick then went to a dry place in the house, dipped his fingers in the floodwaters and made the sign of the cross over the dry area. The drops of water from his fingers turned to fire and the floodwaters receded.
How he healed his sister.It was time for the lambs to be weaned. Patrick's sister Lupita was trying to keep them from their mothers. She was running in the fields when she slipped and hit her head on a rock. She lay unconscious with a deep cut on her head. Everyone thought she was dead. Patrick came to her and picked her up. He made the sign of the cross with his right thumb on the wound and she was healed. She carried the white wound of the cross on her forehead from then on.
Patrick restores the life of his foster father.The husband of Patrick's nurse who helped raise him, suddenly collapsed and died. His nurse burst into tears and asked Patrick if there was anything he could do. Patrick feeling compassion for his nurse and the bad state of his foster father prayed over him. He blessed him and made the sign of the cross on his head and chest. He picked him up and his life was restored.According to the legend of Saint Patrick he performed many healing and resurrection miracles in his lifetime.
Patrick cures the cows.Patrick's aunt kept a herd milk cows. One day a cow went mad and began to thrash about with her horns. She killed five other cows in her madness. While everyone else ran, Patrick walked up to the maddened cow and made the sign of the cross. This healed the cow from its madness. Patrick went to the five dead cows one at a time. He prayed and blessed them restoring them to full health. The formally mad cow came up to Patrick and licked his hands and feet as if in thanks.
This is just a small telling of some of the miracles of the legend of Saint Patrick. The miracles above, except the thing with the snakes, all happened before he went to Ireland. It is said that after Saint Patrick arrived in Ireland he performed too many miracles to count. He brought back the dead. He healed lepers, the blind, the deaf, the lame and many diseases.
Top of Legend of Saint Patrick page. Back to the History of Saint Patrick page.
|
