The Time of Saints and Scholars
Ireland, originally a pagan country, was changed forever when Christianity came. There was a small group of Christians that had come from Gaul into southern Ireland. In the early fifth century a missionary named Palladius came to Ireland from Rome to be this group’s bishop. Soon after came Saint Patrick, who is the more popular of the two. These missionaries’ journeys would redefine how the people of Ireland viewed religion.
The first Christians are believed to have come to Ireland from Gaul (modern day France). These first Christians, however, “looked to Rome, where St Peter and St Paul had been martyred, as the source of authority.” This was a problem because the Christians had no fast means of communicating with Rome, nor a bishop or dean to lead their church. This is believed to be the reason that Palladius came to Ireland, to lead the Catholic church in Ireland.
In 431, a bishop named St. Palladius was sent by the Pope to the believers in Ireland. “The purpose of Palladius’ visit would have been to see that all things were in order.” Some believe that Palladius came to train and elect new bishops for the church. Many religious historians have said that Palladius came with an entourage of other bishops: St. Sechnal, St. Auxilius and St. Iserninus. These three saints are said to have established the “Churches in Dunshaughlin (Co Meath), KiIlashee (Co Kildare) and Aghade (Co Carlow) and Kilcullen (Co Kildare).”
Just like the four saints before him, St Patrick, who was from Scotland originally, set out from Rome to Ireland. The year that Patrick arrived in Ireland is debated by several scholars. Most say that “he arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane”, while others say, “it seems more likely to have been around 460.”
Which ever year in which Patrick arrived, he made a great influence on the Irish. Having lived in Ireland for six years as a slave, Patrick could speak their language and most likely had an easier time preaching the gospel. The Irish Catholic today say that “he was the first real organizer of the Catholic Church in Ireland by dividing the church into territorial sees; he raised the standard of biblical scholarship and especially encouraged the wider teaching of Latin; he travelled throughout the country preaching, teaching, building churches, and opening schools and monasteries; and he converted countless people of all social classes, and inspired many to become monks and nuns. He not only shared God with the people of Ireland, but also grew in his understanding of God through them.”
According to legend, Patrick did not just preach to the church. He was involved in several famous legends, which most likely occurred around 435. One of the most famous of his legends, driving the snakes from Ireland, is widely misinterpreted. Many people believe that St. Patrick literally ‘banished’ all the snakes from Ireland, but that would have been extremely difficult as there was never any snakes in Ireland until very recent years. Even the species that are there now were introduced by people in the 1960’s as pest control. What scholars believe to the proper interpretation is thus, “The conversion of Ireland to Christianity symbolically banished the ‘snake’ from the land... The bloody cult of Crom Cruaich in County Cavan demanded human sacrifice to a serpent deity and the dismantling of this cult by Christianity is now remembered as the ‘snakes being driven from Ireland.’ ” This version of the story is nearly lost due to people teaching it as Patrick banishing literal snakes, and not the original pagan religion of Ireland.
The conversion to the Christian religion from the pagan religion seems to have been accepted by most of the people of Ireland. Some experts theorize that the reason for this was that the two religions were some what relatable. Both taught survival of the soul after death and there was belief in a ‘supreme spirit’. “The pagan druids had a spirit named "Hesus" who, being associated with the oak tree, was remarkably similar to Jesus on the cross. The old goddess Maire became Mary and the essence of the Celtic goddess Brigit evolved into the christian St. Brigid.” This means that the people of Ireland could easily relate to what the Christian missionaries were preaching.
In the centuries following the fifth, which was when most of the missionaries came, churches popped up all around the country. Monasteries also were established, usually under the name or names of well known saints of the regions. The Catholic branch of the Christian religion was most widely taught, as the missionaries were all Catholic. Several other successful bishops came from the British Isles, along with a few saints including St Ciaran the Elder and many more. However, some of the old traditions, including old prayers, survived the conversion. An example of this is an Irish tradition of keeping a lit candle in the window during the Christmas season. This comes from the pagan holiday, Yule, which was originally on or near Christmas. One of the surviving prayers is a prayer of farewell, which I find to be an appropriate way to end this piece.
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
The first Christians are believed to have come to Ireland from Gaul (modern day France). These first Christians, however, “looked to Rome, where St Peter and St Paul had been martyred, as the source of authority.” This was a problem because the Christians had no fast means of communicating with Rome, nor a bishop or dean to lead their church. This is believed to be the reason that Palladius came to Ireland, to lead the Catholic church in Ireland.
In 431, a bishop named St. Palladius was sent by the Pope to the believers in Ireland. “The purpose of Palladius’ visit would have been to see that all things were in order.” Some believe that Palladius came to train and elect new bishops for the church. Many religious historians have said that Palladius came with an entourage of other bishops: St. Sechnal, St. Auxilius and St. Iserninus. These three saints are said to have established the “Churches in Dunshaughlin (Co Meath), KiIlashee (Co Kildare) and Aghade (Co Carlow) and Kilcullen (Co Kildare).”
Just like the four saints before him, St Patrick, who was from Scotland originally, set out from Rome to Ireland. The year that Patrick arrived in Ireland is debated by several scholars. Most say that “he arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane”, while others say, “it seems more likely to have been around 460.”
Which ever year in which Patrick arrived, he made a great influence on the Irish. Having lived in Ireland for six years as a slave, Patrick could speak their language and most likely had an easier time preaching the gospel. The Irish Catholic today say that “he was the first real organizer of the Catholic Church in Ireland by dividing the church into territorial sees; he raised the standard of biblical scholarship and especially encouraged the wider teaching of Latin; he travelled throughout the country preaching, teaching, building churches, and opening schools and monasteries; and he converted countless people of all social classes, and inspired many to become monks and nuns. He not only shared God with the people of Ireland, but also grew in his understanding of God through them.”
According to legend, Patrick did not just preach to the church. He was involved in several famous legends, which most likely occurred around 435. One of the most famous of his legends, driving the snakes from Ireland, is widely misinterpreted. Many people believe that St. Patrick literally ‘banished’ all the snakes from Ireland, but that would have been extremely difficult as there was never any snakes in Ireland until very recent years. Even the species that are there now were introduced by people in the 1960’s as pest control. What scholars believe to the proper interpretation is thus, “The conversion of Ireland to Christianity symbolically banished the ‘snake’ from the land... The bloody cult of Crom Cruaich in County Cavan demanded human sacrifice to a serpent deity and the dismantling of this cult by Christianity is now remembered as the ‘snakes being driven from Ireland.’ ” This version of the story is nearly lost due to people teaching it as Patrick banishing literal snakes, and not the original pagan religion of Ireland.
The conversion to the Christian religion from the pagan religion seems to have been accepted by most of the people of Ireland. Some experts theorize that the reason for this was that the two religions were some what relatable. Both taught survival of the soul after death and there was belief in a ‘supreme spirit’. “The pagan druids had a spirit named "Hesus" who, being associated with the oak tree, was remarkably similar to Jesus on the cross. The old goddess Maire became Mary and the essence of the Celtic goddess Brigit evolved into the christian St. Brigid.” This means that the people of Ireland could easily relate to what the Christian missionaries were preaching.
In the centuries following the fifth, which was when most of the missionaries came, churches popped up all around the country. Monasteries also were established, usually under the name or names of well known saints of the regions. The Catholic branch of the Christian religion was most widely taught, as the missionaries were all Catholic. Several other successful bishops came from the British Isles, along with a few saints including St Ciaran the Elder and many more. However, some of the old traditions, including old prayers, survived the conversion. An example of this is an Irish tradition of keeping a lit candle in the window during the Christmas season. This comes from the pagan holiday, Yule, which was originally on or near Christmas. One of the surviving prayers is a prayer of farewell, which I find to be an appropriate way to end this piece.
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”