Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Politically Incorrect: today is ST.PATRICK'S 17th March
Click here for Irish jokes
Most of what you see on modern films is untrue.
Nor can you rely on most encyclopedias.
St Patrick was a Romanized Celt, a Briton
He was born about 390. AD
This was near the end of Roman rule in Britannia, the Roman province which covered the modern countries of England and Wales, or about 50% of the area of the islands.
In his own lifetime, the germanic tribes of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, began their genoicide and occupation of what is now England .
In Britannia, Christianity was now permitted and increasing, after Constantine in 315.A.D.
At the same time, there was a great pagan revival, of both Roman and Celtic religion. However, Ireland still had Druids. Britannia did not.
Ireland also had a number of delightful cultural practices, such as human sacrifice.
If you like that sort of thing.
His very name, Patricius, indicates that his parents were among those who wished to retain as much Roman culture as possible.
At 16 Irish Pirates captured him, and took him to Ireland
They sold him as a slave.
He was a slave in Ireland for six years.
Slaves usually suffer terrible treatment.
In his confessio(click) he says he looked after his owner's animals , which gave him the opportunity to pray.
That doesn't sound too bad.
He doesn't mention much abusive treatment.
But we can suppose that as a slave, he got it.
After six years' slavery he escaped.
He returned Good for the Evil done to him.
He became a priest,spent time with St Germanus in France,
Recieved Rome's Ok to evangelize Ireland and was ordained a bishop.
He was immensly sucessful.
Not without problems ... captured and put in chains a dozen times.
He used the shamrock , which has a trifurcate leaf, as a symbol of the trinity.
It has become a symbol of Ireland, and so has the colour Green .
..............................................................................................................................
Today is the National Day for the Irish all over the world .
Now they have them all over the USA.
They are more secular every year!
Shamrocks and leprechauns and bagpipes and beer.
A Disneyland vision of a plastic Ireland.
The Scots are not the only ones to have tartans and bagpipes. (Irish bagpipes are slightly different from Scottish ones which are different from Asturian ones which are different from Gallician ones....)
But it seems to be more the Irish ouside Ireland who wear kilts.
(The modern custom of men aping females, sporranless kiltwearing is disgusting)
