Saint Patrick and The Conversion of Ireland to Christianity

E-waters Traditional Irish Blessing touches the heart with the Sweetness of Ireland. The Beauty and kindness of that country is largely due to one mans' life. This is his story.

As Legend has it, there was a Young Scottish Boy named Maewyn Succat Who around 377 A.D was Kidnapped and taken across the Sea to Hibernia (or Ireland as we now know it) by Niall, my Great Great +++++ Grandfather... The King of Northern Ireland. (Niall is the old name used for Niell or O'Neill as they would later become known as they ruled Ireland for over a thousand years.) Hibernia needed workers and it was common in those days to raid nearby countries and take prisoners and force them into slavery. Thus they captured young Maewyn and he was enslaved and eventually set to work as a shepherd of sheep on the slopes of the Slemish Mountains north of what is today Belfast.

Saint Patrick, Shepherd Boy, Ireland

The whole experience had a tremendous affect on young Maewyn as he was surely in constant danger, peril and hardship. Some men when faced with such troubles curse God and give up in their hearts, but that was not the case with Maewyn. Through his difficulties he prayed and prayed and was desperate with God. Much of his greatness and closeness to the Lord came from this very difficult seemingly hopeless time in his life.

Difficult Times Drove Him to God

Desperate Prayer

Finally after 6 long years... God spoke to him in a dream and told him, "Thy ship is ready for thee." This was God's way, he felt, of telling him to run away... which he did. That night he fled. Assured God was leading him, Patrick plunged through the bogs and scaled the mountains which separated him from the sea. A few days later he escaped Ireland by a ship passage back to Scotland.

Through his captivity 2 things happened. #1, he developed a great love and relationship with the Lord and #2 He learned about Hibernia and God gave him a love for it's people.

Saint Patrick

Upon returning to Scotland he entered the priesthood and studied and prepared for the Work that God had for him to do. Later when the time was right... the door opened and this young Missionary returned to Hibernia and set about teaching the people about Jesus and the Bible. So significant was his success and preaching that he converted not only the King who had captured and enslaved him but, the whole country as well. He won from that seeming defeat of his enslavement a Great and lasting victory For GOD. Little Maewyn Succat the captive slave boy... is now Known as St Patrick the Patron Saint and Great Missionary that Won Ireland for Jesus!

God Bless Him and Thank God For this Wonderful Man of Faith! May we all take life's difficulties with such courage and faith and use them to teach us and make us into what God wants us to be!