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| Boilerpipe Text | Saint
Patrick
Stained-glass
window of Saint Patrick from Saint Patrick Catholic Church,
Junction City, Ohio
, United States
Bishop and Confessor
"Apostle of Ireland"
Born
Britain
Died
Mid-fifth to early-sixth century
Ireland
Resting place
Downpatrick
Venerated in
Catholicism
Eastern Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy
Lutheranism
Anglicanism
Major
shrine
Downpatrick,
Croagh Patrick
Feast
17 March (
Saint Patrick's Day
)
Attributes
Crozier, mitre, holding a
shamrock
, carrying a cross, repelling
snakes
,
green colour
Patronage
Ireland,
Nigeria
,
Montserrat
,
Archdiocese of New York
,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
,
Boston
,
Rolla, Missouri
,
Loíza, Puerto Rico
,
Murcia
(Spain),
Clann Giolla Phádraig
,
engineers
,
paralegals
,
Archdiocese of Adelaide
,
Archdiocese of Melbourne
; invoked against snakes,
sins
[
1
]
Saint Patrick
[
a
]
was a fifth-century
Romano-British
Christian
missionary
and
bishop
in
Ireland
. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary
patron saint
of
Ireland
, the other patron saints being
Brigid of Kildare
and
Columba
. He is also the patron saint of
Nigeria
.
[
2
]
Patrick is venerated as a saint in the
Catholic Church
, the
Church of Ireland
(part of the
Anglican Communion
),
Lutheranism
, and in the
Eastern Orthodox Church
, where he is regarded as
equal-to-the-apostles
and Enlightener of Ireland.
[
3
]
[
4
]
The dates of Patrick's life cannot be fixed with certainty, but there is general agreement that he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the fifth century. Two Latin writings by Patrick survive: the
Confessio
and the
Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus
. Patrick writes that when he was sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Britain and taken as a
slave
to Ireland. He writes that he lived there for six years as a
herder
before escaping and returning to his family. After studying for many years, probably in
Gaul
, he returned to spread Christianity in Ireland. As a bishop, Patrick converted "thousands" and ordained many priests. Years later, he was summoned to Britain by church leaders to answer various accusations. Patrick issued a lengthy and personal statement denying the accusations and defending himself, which became the
Confessio
.
The earliest
hagiographies
of Patrick were written in the seventh century by
Muirchú
and
Tírechán
. By this time, he had come to be revered as a patron saint of Ireland. According to tradition, Patrick was the first
bishop of Armagh
and
Primate of Ireland
, and is credited with bringing
Christianity to Ireland
(despite evidence of some earlier Christian presence), converting the people from
paganism
.
[
5
]
There are many legends about Patrick, such as him using a
shamrock
to symbolize the
Trinity
, banishing snakes and demons from Ireland, and fasting on a mountaintop.
Saint Patrick's Day
, considered his feast day, is observed on 17 March, the supposed date of his death. It is celebrated in Ireland and among the
Irish diaspora
as a religious and cultural holiday. In the
Catholic Church in Ireland
, it is both a
solemnity
and a
holy day of obligation
.
Sources
Two
Latin
works survive which are generally accepted as having been written by St. Patrick: the
Declaration
(
Latin
:
Confessio
)
[
6
]
and the
Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus
(
Latin
:
Epistola
),
[
7
]
from which come the only generally accepted details of his life.
[
8
]
The
Declaration
is the more biographical of the two. In it, Patrick gives a short account of his life and his mission. Most available details of his life are from subsequent
hagiographies
and
annals
, which have considerable value but lack the
empiricism
scholars depend on today.
[
9
]
Name
The only name that Patrick uses for himself in his own writings is Pātricius (
Latin pronunciation:
[paːˈtrɪ.ki.ʊs]
), which gives
Old Irish
:
Pátraic
Irish pronunciation:
[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ]
and
Irish
:
Pádraig
(
Irish pronunciation:
[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ]
or
Irish pronunciation:
[ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ]
); English
Patrick
;
Scottish Gaelic
:
Pàdraig
;
Welsh
:
Padrig
;
Cornish
:
Petroc
.
Hagiography
records other names he is said to have borne.
Tírechán
's seventh-century
Collectanea
gives "Magonus, that is, famous; Succetus, that is, god of war; Patricius, that is, father of the citizens; Cothirthiacus, because he served four houses of druids."
[
10
]
"Magonus" appears in the ninth-century
Historia Brittonum
as
Maun
, descending from British
*Magunos
, meaning "servant-lad".
[
10
]
"Succetus", which also appears in
Muirchú moccu Machtheni
's seventh-century
Life
as
Sochet
,
[
10
]
is identified by Mac Neill as "a word of British origin meaning swineherd".
[
11
]
Cothirthiacus also appears as
Cothraige
in the 8th-century biographical poem known as
Fiacc's Hymn
and a variety of other spellings elsewhere, and is taken to represent a
Primitive Irish
: *
Qatrikias
, although this is disputed. Harvey argues that
Cothraige
"has the form of a classic Old Irish tribal (and therefore place-) name", noting that
Ail Coithrigi
is a name for the
Rock of Cashel
, and the place-names
Cothrugu
and
Catrige
are attested in Counties
Antrim
and
Carlow
.
[
12
]
Muirchú summarizes that these four names correspond to Patrick's different roles at different periods of this life: "Patrick son of Calforni(us) had four names: Sochet when he was born, Cothriche when he was a slave, Mauonius when he studied, Patrick when he was consecrated."
[
13
]
Dating
The reputed burial place of Saint Patrick in
Downpatrick
The dates of Patrick's life are uncertain; there are conflicting traditions regarding the year of his death. His own writings provide no evidence for any dating more precise than the 5th century generally. His Biblical quotations are a mixture of the
Old Latin
version and the
Vulgate
, completed in the early 5th century, suggesting he was writing "at the point of transition from Old Latin to Vulgate",
[
14
]
although it is possible the Vulgate readings may have been added later, replacing earlier readings.
[
15
]
The
Letter to Coroticus
implies that the
Franks
were still pagans at the time of writing;
[
16
]
their conversion to Christianity is dated to the period 496–508.
[
17
]
The
Irish annals
date Patrick's arrival in Ireland at 432, but they were compiled in the mid-6th century at the earliest.
[
16
]
The date 432 was probably chosen to minimise the contribution of
Palladius
, who was known to have been sent to Ireland in 431, and maximise that of Patrick.
[
18
]
A variety of dates are given for his death. In 457 "the elder Patrick" (
Irish
:
Patraic Sen
) is said to have died: this may refer to the death of Palladius, who according to the
Book of Armagh
was also called Patrick.
[
18
]
In 461/2 the annals say that "Here some record the repose of Patrick";
[
19
]
: 19
in 492/3 they record the death of "Patrick, the arch-apostle (or archbishop and apostle) of the Scoti", on 17 March, at the age of 120.
[
19
]
: 31
While some modern historians
[
20
]
accept the earlier date of
c.
460
for Patrick's death, scholars of early Irish history tend to prefer a later date,
c.
493
. Supporting the later date, the annals record that in 553 "the relics of Patrick were placed
sixty years after his death
in a shrine by
Colum Cille
" (emphasis added).
[
21
]
The death of Patrick's disciple
Mochta
is dated in the annals to 535 or 537,
[
21
]
[
22
]
and the early hagiographies "all bring Patrick into contact with persons whose obits occur at the end of the fifth century or the beginning of the sixth".
[
23
]
However,
E. A. Thompson
considers that none of the dates given for Patrick's death in the Annals are reliable.
[
24
]
A recent biography suggests that a late fifth-century date for the saint is not impossible.
[
25
]
: 34–35
Life
Early life and captivity
Late Roman Britain
Patrick was born in
Britain
at the
end of Roman rule
. He came from a family of
Romano-Britons
, i.e. Romanized
Celtic Britons
. He would have spoken
British Celtic
as his mother tongue, the
Irish language
, and some
Latin
.
[
26
]
In his
Confessio
, Patrick writes that his father, Calpurnius, was a
decurion
(senator and tax collector) of an unnamed Romano-British town, and also a
deacon
in the
Church
; his grandfather Potitus was a
priest
.
[
27
]
However, Patrick writes that he was not religious in his youth, and considered himself in that period to be "idle and callow".
[
28
]
His birthplace is not known with any certainty, but it is believed to be near the
Irish Sea
(as he was captured by Irish pirates) and near a large Roman town (as his father was a decurion).
[
29
]
Patrick writes that his family hailed from the
vicus
of
Bannavem Taburniae
, and that his father had a small
villa
nearby. Several places have been proposed. One is the Roman fort
Banna (Birdoswald)
on
Hadrian's Wall
, which is near
Luguvalium
(
Carlisle
) in
Cumbria
.
[
30
]
[
31
]
Another is
Banwen
in south Wales,
[
32
]
which was the site of a Roman marching camp.
[
33
]
The
West Country
has also been proposed;
[
34
]
particularly
Banwell
-Wint Hill,
[
35
]
and
Avonmouth
,
[
36
]
both in
Somerset
. It has been suggested that the last part of
Bannavem Taburniae
refers to the
Severn
(
Sabrina
)
[
36
]
or that it is made up of the Celtic
banna
(promontory)
venta
(town) and
berniae
(a pass or gap).
[
37
]
The Roman town of
Bannaventa
in Northamptonshire is phonically similar to the name Patrick gave, but is probably too far from the sea.
[
38
]
Muirchú's 7th century
Life
of Patrick says that he was born at a place called
Nemthor
, which in the following centuries was identified with a place near
Dumbarton
in
Strathclyde
.
[
39
]
Nearby is
Kilpatrick
, another proposed birthplace.
[
40
]
A stained-glass window in St Patrick's Church,
Ballymena
, showing him as a shepherd near
Slemish
mountain
According to his
Confession
, he was captured at the age of sixteen from his family's villa at
Bannavem Taburniae
by a group of Irish pirates.
[
41
]
They took him to Ireland where he was enslaved and held captive for six years. Patrick writes in the
Confession
that the time he spent in captivity was critical to his spiritual growth. He says that God gave him the opportunity to be forgiven his sins and to grow in his faith through prayer.
[
41
]
As a slave, Patrick worked as a herder and was introduced to the Irish culture that would define his life and reputation.
[
28
]
Patrick does not say where in Ireland he worked.
[
42
]
However, in his
Confessio
, he recounts a dream he had many years later, where the people near "the wood of
Foclut
" (
silva Focluti
or
Vocluti
), which is "next to the western sea", beseech him to "come and walk again amongst us".
[
42
]
This suggests that Foclut was in the area of his captivity.
[
42
]
Patrick writes that after six years of captivity, he heard a voice telling him that he would soon go home, and then that his ship was ready. Fleeing his master, he travelled 200
Roman miles
(about 188 statute miles or 300 km) to a port, presumably on the eastern or southern coast,
[
42
]
where he found a ship and persuaded the captain to take him aboard.
[
43
]
It is generally believed that Foclut refers to Foghill (
Fochoill
, meaning "under-wood") near
Killala Bay
in
Connacht
.
[
42
]
[
44
]
However, Patrick's hagiographer Muirchú said it was in the area of
Slemish
mountain (
Sliabh Mis
) in
Ulster
.
[
45
]
Patrick says that they sailed for three days before reaching land. The likelihood that they set sail from the eastern or southern coast, and the length of the journey, suggests that they may have sailed to
Gaul
, perhaps
Armorica
.
[
42
]
All apparently disembarked and then walked for 28 days in a "wilderness", becoming faint from hunger. Patrick prayed for sustenance, and about the sixteenth day, they came upon a herd of
wild boar
and were able to feed themselves. Eventually they reached civilization.
[
46
]
Patrick's account of his escape from slavery is recounted in his
Confessio
.
[
47
]
Return to Britain and education
After a few years (
paucos annos
), Patrick says he returned home to his family in Britain, now in his early twenties.
[
48
]
Patrick then began his ecclesiastical training. Muirchú says that Patrick studied at
Auxerre
in central Gaul for thirty years.
[
45
]
J. B. Bury
suggests that
Amator
ordained Patrick to the diaconate at Auxerre.
[
49
]
It is suggested that
Saint Germanus of Auxerre
, a bishop of the
Western Church
, ordained him to the priesthood,
[
50
]
while
Maximus of Turin
is said to have consecrated him as bishop.
[
51
]
However, Tírechán says that Patrick studied for thirty years at
Lérins Abbey
off the south coast of Gaul.
[
45
]
Patrick recounts that he had a vision a few years after returning home:
I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish" (
Vox Hiberionacum
). As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of
Foclut
, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us."
[
52
]
A.B.E. Hood suggests that the Victoricus of St. Patrick's vision may be identified with Saint
Victricius
, bishop of
Rouen
in the late fourth century, who had visited Britain in an official capacity in 396.
[
53
]
However, Ludwig Bieler disagrees.
[
54
]
Patrick writes in his
Epistola
that he was a bishop established in Ireland, and that he had sold his "nobility ... for the sake of others". It is presumed that the church in Britain sent Patrick to be a bishop for part of Ireland, with Papal approval, and that he had sold his late father's estate to raise funds for the Irish bishopric.
[
55
]
Mission in Ireland
"Patrick going to
Tara
", illustration from a 1904 book
Patrick returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary.
[
41
]
According to Muirchú, he landed at
Inber Dea
in
Cualu
(now
Arklow
in
County Wicklow
).
[
56
]
Muirchú says that Patrick then decided to travel north to convert his former master, Miliuc of
Dál mBuinne
, and to buy his freedom.
[
57
]
He rested at
an island
later named after him, before sailing north and landing at
Mag Inis
in the territory of
Dál Fiatach
.
[
45
]
According to Muirchú, Patrick converted the local chieftain Díchu and was given a barn as a church, which became known as
Sabhall Phádraig
(Patrick's barn), now
Saul
.
[
45
]
Tírechán, however, says that Patrick landed in
Brega
and founded his first churches there, then travelled clockwise around the island.
[
58
]
Brega was part of the
kingdom of Meath
and included the royal capital of
Tara
. He says that Benen (or
Benignus
), son of the chieftain Secsnán, was Patrick's first Irish disciple.
[
51
]
After founding his first church, both Muirchú and Tírechán have Patrick contending with
Lóegaire mac Néill
, the
king of Tara
.
Stained glass window in
Carlow Cathedral
, showing Saint Patrick preaching to Irish kings
From the
Confessio
, something can be seen of Patrick's mission. He writes that he "baptised thousands of people",
[
59
]
even planning to convert his slavers.
[
47
]
He ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became
nuns
in the face of family opposition. He also dealt with the sons of kings, converting them too.
[
60
]
The
Confessio
is generally vague about the details of his work in Ireland, though giving some specific instances. This is partly because, as he says at points, he was writing for a local audience of Christians who knew him and his work. There are several mentions of travelling around the island and of sometimes difficult interactions with the ruling elite. He claims of the Irish:
Never before did they know of God except to serve idols and unclean things. But now, they have become the people of the Lord, and are called children of God. The sons and daughters of the leaders of the Irish are seen to be monks and virgins of Christ!
[
61
]
Patrick's position as a foreigner in Ireland was not an easy one. His refusal to accept gifts from kings placed him outside the normal ties of kinship, fosterage and affinity. He says that he was on one occasion beaten, robbed of all he had, and put in chains, perhaps awaiting execution.
[
62
]
Patrick says that he was also "many years later" a captive for 60 days, without giving details.
[
63
]
Letter to Coroticus and defence against accusers
Patrick's
Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus
(
Epistola ad milites Corotici
), is an
open letter
announcing his
excommunication
of a British king, Coroticus, and his soldiers, because they had killed and enslaved some of Patrick's new converts while raiding in Ireland.
[
64
]
Patrick writes, "I cannot say that they are my fellow-citizens, nor fellow-citizens of the saints of Rome, but fellow-citizens of demons, because of their evil works". He calls them "allies of the
Scots
and
apostate
Picts
".
[
65
]
In other words, Coroticus was at least nominally Christian, and the southern Picts had converted to Christianity but lapsed into paganism.
[
66
]
The Scots (
Scotti
in Latin) are most likely the
Gaels
of
Dál Riata
. Coroticus is widely believed to be king
Ceretic
of
Alt Clut
, the region surrounding
Dumbarton
(
Ail Cluaithe
in Irish).
[
67
]
[
68
]
Thompson however proposed that Coroticus was a Romano-British warlord based at
Ailech
in the north of Ireland.
[
69
]
After spending decades in Ireland, Patrick was summoned to Britain by church leaders to answer various accusations or charges.
[
66
]
He is estimated to have been around 60 years old.
[
66
]
It is possible that Patrick's letter led to his being summoned.
[
66
]
[
30
]
Historian
Charles Thomas
suggests that there were longstanding accusations against Patrick; when he publicly excommunicated king Coroticus, he overstepped his authority, and the Church in northern Britain at last decided to call him to account.
[
66
]
Patrick does not say outright what these accusations were, but they can be inferred based on the rebuttals he gives in his
Confessio
. He was accused of some kind of financial impropriety, and perhaps of having obtained his bishopric in Ireland with personal gain in mind.
[
70
]
Specific accusations seem to be that he accepted valuable gifts from the Irish nobility, including from those hoping to be
ordained
, and took payment for baptisms. Patrick refused to leave Ireland, but instead issued a lengthy statement denying the accusations and defending himself.
[
66
]
He says that he gave up his nobility in Britain, left his family and his homeland to work in Ireland, suffering insult, violence and imprisonment. Patrick says he returned the gifts wealthy women gave him, did not ask payment for baptisms, nor for ordaining priests, and indeed paid for many gifts to kings and judges, as well as compensating the sons of chiefs to accompany him. According to Roy Flechner, the
Confessio
was written in part as a defence against his detractors, who did not believe that he was taken to Ireland as a slave, despite Patrick's vigorous insistence that he was.
[
71
]
Seventh-century hagiographies
A mosaic of Saint Patrick in
Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar
, showing Patrick lighting the Easter fire at
Slane
and destroying pagan idols
Two works by late seventh-century
hagiographers
of Patrick have survived. These are the
Vita sancti Patricii
of
Muirchú moccu Machtheni
and the writings of
Tírechán
.
[
72
]
Both writers relied upon an earlier work, now lost, the
Book of Ultán
.
[
73
]
This Ultán, probably the same person as
Ultan of Ardbraccan
, was Tírechán's foster-father. His obituary is given in the
Annals of Ulster
under the year 657.
[
74
]
These works thus date from a century and a half after Patrick's death.
The Patrick portrayed by Tírechán and Muirchu is a martial figure, who contests with
druids
, overthrows pagan idols, and curses kings and kingdoms.
[
75
]
On occasion, their accounts contradict Patrick's own writings: Tírechán states that Patrick accepted gifts from female converts although Patrick himself flatly denies this. However, the emphasis Tírechán and Muirchu placed on female converts, and in particular royal and noble women who became nuns, is thought to be a genuine insight into Patrick's work of conversion. Patrick also worked with the unfree and the poor, encouraging them to vows of monastic chastity. Tírechán's account suggests that many early Patrician churches were combined with nunneries founded by Patrick's noble female converts.
[
76
]
The martial Patrick found in Tírechán and Muirchu, and in later accounts, echoes similar figures found during the conversion of the
Roman Empire
to Christianity. It may be doubted whether such accounts are an accurate representation of Patrick's time, although such violent events may well have occurred as Christians gained in strength and numbers.
[
77
]
Much of the detail supplied by Tírechán and Muirchu, in particular the churches established by Patrick, and the monasteries founded by his converts, may relate to the situation in the seventh century, when the churches which claimed ties to Patrick, and in particular
Armagh
, were expanding their influence throughout Ireland in competition with the church of
Kildare
. In the same period,
Wilfred
,
Archbishop of York
, claimed to speak, as
metropolitan archbishop
, "for all the northern part of Britain and of Ireland" at a council held in Rome in the time of
Pope Agatho
, thus claiming jurisdiction over the Irish church.
[
78
]
Muirchú's life of Saint Patrick contains a supposed prophecy by the
druids
which gives an impression of how Patrick and other Christian missionaries were seen by those hostile to them:
Across the sea will come
Adze
-head,
[
79
]
crazed in the head,
his cloak with hole for the head, his stick bent in the head.
He will chant impieties from a table in the front of his house;
all his people will answer: "so be it, so be it."
[
80
]
Both Muirchú and Tírechán say that Patrick contended with
Lóegaire mac Néill
, the
king of Tara
. Muirchú includes a famous story that Patrick lit a
Paschal
(
Easter
) fire on the
Hill of Slane
, in defiance of the king. The story says that the fire could not be doused by anyone but Patrick.
Other presumed early materials include the
Irish annals
, which contain records from the
Chronicle of Ireland
. These sources have
conflated
Palladius
and Patrick.
[
81
]
Another early document is the so-called
First Synod of Saint Patrick
. This is a seventh-century document, once, but no longer, taken as to contain a fifth-century original text. It apparently collects the results of several early synods, and represents an era when pagans were still a major force in Ireland. The introduction attributes it to Patrick, Auxilius, and Iserninus, a claim which "cannot be taken at face value."
[
82
]
Patrick uses shamrock in an illustrative parable
Patrick depicted with shamrock in detail of stained glass window in St. Benin's Church, Kilbennan, County Galway, Ireland
Legend credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the doctrine of the
Holy Trinity
by showing people the
shamrock
, a three-leafed plant, using it to illustrate the Christian teaching of three persons in one God.
[
83
]
The earliest written version of the story is given by the botanist
Caleb Threlkeld
in his 1726
Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum
, but the earliest surviving records associating Patrick with the plant are coins depicting Patrick clutching a shamrock which were minted in the 1680s.
[
84
]
[
85
]
In pagan Ireland, three was a significant number and the Irish had many
triple deities
, a fact that may have aided Patrick in his
evangelisation
efforts when he "held up a shamrock and discoursed on the Christian Trinity".
[
86
]
[
87
]
Patricia Monaghan
says there is no evidence that the shamrock was sacred to the pagan Irish.
[
86
]
However,
Jack Santino
speculates that it may have represented the regenerative powers of nature, and was recast in a Christian context.
Icons
of St Patrick often depict the saint "with a
cross
in one hand and a sprig of shamrocks in the other".
[
88
]
Roger Homan writes, "We can perhaps see St Patrick drawing upon the visual concept of the
triskele
when he uses the shamrock to explain the Trinity".
[
89
]
Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland
Patrick banishing the snakes
Ireland was well known to be a land without snakes, and this was noted as early as the third century by
Gaius Julius Solinus
, but later legend credited Patrick with banishing snakes from the island. The earliest text to mention an Irish saint banishing snakes from Ireland is in fact the Life of Saint
Columba
(chapter 3.23), written in the late seventh or early eighth century.
[
90
]
The earliest writings about Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes are by
Jocelyn of Furness
in the late twelfth century,
[
91
]
who says that Patrick chased them into the sea after they attacked him during his fast on a mountain.
[
92
]
Gerald of Wales
also mentions the story in the early thirteenth century, but he is doubtful of its truthfulness.
[
93
]
Post-glacial Ireland never had snakes
.
[
92
]
"At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so [there was] nothing for St. Patrick to banish", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records.
[
92
]
Patrick's fast on the mountain
Tírechán
wrote in the 7th century that Patrick spent forty days on the mountaintop of
Cruachán Aigle
, as
Moses
did on
Mount Sinai
. The 9th century
Bethu Phátraic
says that Patrick was harassed by a flock of black demonic birds while on the peak, and he banished them into the hollow of Lugnademon ("hollow of the demons") by ringing his bell. Patrick ended his fast when God gave him the right to judge all the Irish at the
Last Judgement
, and agreed to spare the land of Ireland from the
final desolation
.
[
94
]
[
40
]
A later legend tells how Patrick was tormented on the mountain by a demonic female serpent named Corra or Caorthannach. Patrick is said to have banished the serpent into Lough Na Corra below the mountain, or into a hollow from which the lake burst forth.
[
95
]
The mountain is now known as
Croagh Patrick
(Cruach Phádraig) after the saint.
Patrick and Dáire
According to tradition, Patrick founded his main church at
Armagh
(Ard Mhacha) in the year 445.
Muirchú
writes that a pagan chieftain named
Dáire
would not let Patrick build a church on the hill of Ard Mhacha, but instead gave him lower ground to the east. One day, Dáire's horses die after grazing on the church land. He tells his men to kill Patrick, but is himself struck down with illness. Dáire's men beg Patrick to heal him, and Patrick's holy water revives both Dáire and his horses. Dáire rewards Patrick with a great bronze cauldron and gave him the hill of Ard Mhacha to build a church, which eventually became the head church of Ireland. Dáire has similarities with
the Dagda
, an Irish god who owns a cauldron of plenty.
[
96
]
In a later legend, the pagan chieftain is named
Crom
. Patrick asks the chieftain for food, and Crom sends his bull, in the hope that it will drive off or kill Patrick. Instead, it meekly submits to Patrick, allowing itself to be slaughtered and eaten. Crom demands his bull be returned. Patrick has the bull's bones and hide put together and brings it back to life. In some versions, Crom is so impressed that he converts to Christianity, while in others he is killed by the bull. In parts of Ireland,
Lughnasa
(1 August) is called 'Crom's Sunday' and the legend could recall
bull sacrifices
during the festival.
[
97
]
Patrick speaks with ancient Irish ancestors
The twelfth-century work
Acallam na Senórach
tells of Patrick being met by two ancient warriors,
Caílte mac Rónáin
and
Oisín
, during his evangelical travels. The two were once members of
Fionn mac Cumhaill
's warrior band the
Fianna
, and somehow survived to Patrick's time.
[
98
]
In the work St. Patrick seeks to convert the warriors to Christianity, while they defend their pagan past. The heroic pagan lifestyle of the warriors, of fighting and feasting and living close to nature, is contrasted with the more peaceful, but unheroic and non-sensual life offered by Christianity.
[
99
]
Patrick and the innkeeper
A much later legend tells of Patrick visiting an
inn
and chiding the innkeeper for being ungenerous with her guests. Patrick tells her that a demon is hiding in her cellar and being fattened by her dishonesty. He says that the only way to get rid of the demon is by mending her ways. Sometime later, Patrick revisits the inn to find that the innkeeper is now serving her guests cups of whiskey filled to the brim. He praises her generosity and brings her to the cellar, where they find the demon withering away. It then flees in a flash of flame, and Patrick decrees that people should have a drink of whiskey on his feast day in memory of this. This is said to be the origin of "drowning the shamrock" on Saint Patrick's Day.
[
100
]
Battle for the body of St Patrick
According to the
Annals of the Four Masters
, an early-modern compilation of earlier annals, his corpse soon became an object of conflict in the Battle for the Body of Saint Patrick (
Cath Coirp Naomh Padraic
):
The
Uí Néill
and the
Airgíalla
attempted to bring it to Armagh; the
Ulaid
tried to keep it for themselves.
When the Uí Néill and the Airgíalla came to a certain water, the river swelled against them so that they were not able to cross it. When the flood had subsided the Ui Neill and the Ulaid united on terms of peace, to bring the body of Patrick with them. It appeared to each of them that each had the body conveying it to their respective territories. The body of Patrick was afterwards interred at
Dun Da Lethglas
with great honour and veneration; and during the twelve nights that the religious seniors were watching the body with psalms and hymns, it was not night in Magh Inis or the neighbouring lands, as they thought, but as if it were the full undarkened light of day.
[
101
]
Modern theories
"Two Patricks" theory
Saint Patrick sent to Ireland by the Pope; wall mosaic in
St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny
. Emphasising the supposed papal mission of Patrick would help lend credence to the Catholic teaching that the Irish church was always under Papal authority.
Irish academic
T. F. O'Rahilly
proposed the "Two Patricks" theory,
[
102
]
which suggests that many of the traditions later attached to Saint Patrick actually concerned the aforementioned
Palladius
, who, according to
Prosper of Aquitaine
's
Chronicle
, was sent by
Pope Celestine I
as the first bishop to Irish Christians in 431. An early document which is silent concerning Patrick is the letter of
Columbanus
to
Pope Boniface IV
of about 613. Columbanus writes that Ireland's Christianity "was first handed to us by you, the successors of the holy apostles", apparently referring to
Palladius
only, and ignoring Patrick.
[
103
]
Palladius was not the only early cleric in Ireland at this time. The Irish-born Saint
Ciarán of Saigir
lived in the later fourth century (352–402) and was the first bishop of
Ossory
. Ciaran, along with saints
Auxilius
,
Secundinus
and
Iserninus
, is also associated with early churches in
Munster
and
Leinster
. By this reading,
Palladius
was active in Ireland until the 460s.
[
104
]
Prosper associates Palladius' appointment with the visits of
Germanus of Auxerre
to Britain to suppress
Pelagianism
and it has been suggested that Palladius and his colleagues were sent to Ireland to ensure that exiled Pelagians did not establish themselves among the Irish Christians. The appointment of Palladius and his fellow bishops was not obviously a mission to convert the Irish, but more probably intended to minister to existing Christian communities in Ireland.
[
105
]
The sites of churches associated with Palladius and his colleagues are close to royal centres of the period: Secundus is remembered by
Dunshaughlin
,
County Meath
, close to the
Hill of Tara
which is associated with the
High King of Ireland
;
Killashee, County Kildare
, close to
Naas
with links with the
kings of Leinster
, is probably named for Auxilius. This activity was limited to the southern half of Ireland, and there is no evidence for them in
Ulster
or
Connacht
.
[
106
]
Although the evidence for contacts with
Gaul
is clear, the borrowings from
Latin
into
Old Irish
show that links with
Roman Britain
were many.
[
107
]
Iserninus, who appears to be of the generation of Palladius, is thought to have been a
Briton
, and is associated with the lands of the
Uí Ceinnselaig
in Leinster. The Palladian mission should not be contrasted with later "British" missions, but forms a part of them;
[
108
]
nor can the work of Palladius be uncritically equated with that of Saint Patrick, as was once traditional.
[
102
]
Abduction reinterpreted
According to Patrick's own account, it was Irish raiders who brought him to Ireland where he was enslaved and held captive for six years.
[
109
]
However, a recent alternative interpretation by Roy Flechner of Patrick's departure to Ireland suggests that, as the son of a
decurion
, he would have been obliged by Roman law to serve on the town council (
curia
), but chose instead to abscond from the onerous obligations of this office by fleeing abroad, as many others in his position had done in what has become known as the 'flight of the
curiales
'.
[
110
]
Flechner also asserts the improbability of an escape from servitude and a journey of the kind that Patrick purports to have undertaken. He also interprets the biblical allusions in Patrick's account (e.g. the theme of freedom after six years of servitude in Exod. 21:2 or Jer. 34:14), as implying parts of the account may not have been intended to be understood literally.
[
111
]
Sainthood and veneration
Icon
of Saint Patrick from Christ the Savior
Russian Orthodox Church
,
Wayne, West Virginia
Stained glass window of Saint Patrick from the Protestant
Church of Ireland cathedral in Armagh
Writing on the
Easter controversy
in 632 or 633, Cummian—it is uncertain whether this is
Cumméne Fota
or
Cumméne Find
—refers to Patrick as "our papa", that is, father or
primate
.
[
112
]
17 March, popularly known as
Saint Patrick's Day
, is believed to be his death date and is the date celebrated as his
Feast Day
.
[
113
]
The day became a feast day in the Catholic Church due to the influence of the
Waterford
-born
Franciscan
scholar
Luke Wadding
, as a member of the commission for the reform of the
Breviary
in the early part of the 17th century.
[
114
]
For most of Christianity's first thousand years, canonisations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after the death of people considered very holy, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints. As a result, Patrick has never been formally
canonised
by a pope (common before
10th century
); nevertheless, various Christian churches declare that he is a saint in Heaven (see
List of Saints
). He is still widely venerated in Ireland and elsewhere today.
[
115
]
Patrick is also honoured with a
feast day
on the
liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)
and with a commemoration on the
calendar
of
Evangelical Lutheran Worship
, both on 17 March. Patrick is also
venerated
in the
Eastern Orthodox Church
as a pre-Schism Western saint, especially among Orthodox Christians living in Ireland and the
Anglosphere
;
[
116
]
as is usual with saints, there are Orthodox
icons
dedicated to him.
[
117
]
Saint Patrick remains a recurring figure in
Folk Christianity
and Irish folktales.
[
118
]
Patrick is said to be buried at
Down Cathedral
in
Downpatrick
, County Down, alongside
Saint Brigid
and
Saint Columba
, although this has never been proven.
Saint Patrick Visitor Centre
is a modern exhibition complex located in Downpatrick and is a permanent interpretative exhibition centre featuring interactive displays on the life and story of Patrick. It provides the only permanent exhibition centre in the world devoted to Patrick.
[
119
]
Patrick is
remembered
in the
Church of England
with a
Lesser Festival
on
17 March
.
[
120
]
On 9 March 2017, his name was added to the
Russian Orthodox Church
calendar by the
Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church
.
[
121
]
[
122
]
Saint Patrick's Breastplate
Saint Patrick's Breastplate is a
lorica
, or hymn, which is attributed to Patrick during his Irish ministry in the 5th century.
Saint Patrick's crosses
Patrick showing cross pattée on his robes
There are two main types of crosses associated with Patrick, the
cross pattée
and the
Saltire
. The cross pattée is the more traditional association, while the association with the saltire dates from 1783 and the Order of St. Patrick.
The cross pattée has long been associated with Patrick, for reasons that are uncertain. One possible reason is that bishops' mitres in
Ecclesiastical heraldry
often appear surmounted by a cross pattée.
[
123
]
[
124
]
An example of this can be seen on the old crest of the
Brothers of St. Patrick
.
[
125
]
As Patrick was the founding bishop of the Irish church, the symbol may have become associated with him. Patrick is traditionally portrayed in the vestments of a bishop, and his mitre and garments are often decorated with a cross pattée.
[
126
]
[
127
]
[
128
]
[
129
]
[
130
]
The cross pattée retains its link to Patrick to the present day. For example, it appears on the coat of arms of both the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh
[
131
]
and the
Church of Ireland Archdiocese of Armagh
.
[
132
]
This is on account of Patrick being regarded as the first bishop of the Diocese of Armagh. It is also used by
Down District Council
which has its headquarters in
Downpatrick
, the reputed burial place of Patrick.
Saint Patrick's Saltire
is a red
saltire
on a white field. It is used in the insignia of the
Order of Saint Patrick
, established in 1783, and after the
Acts of Union 1800
it was combined with the
Saint George's Cross of England
and the
Saint Andrew's Cross of Scotland
to form the
Union Flag
of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
. A saltire was intermittently used as a symbol of Ireland from the seventeenth century but without reference to Patrick.
Traditional Saint Patrick's Day badges from the early twentieth century, from the
Museum of Country Life
, Castlebar
It was formerly a common custom to wear a cross made of paper or ribbon on
St Patrick's Day
. Surviving examples of such badges come in many colours
[
133
]
and they were worn upright rather than as saltires.
[
134
]
Thomas Dinely, an English traveller in Ireland in 1681, remarked that "the Irish of all stations and condicõns were crosses in their hatts, some of pins, some of green ribbon."
[
135
]
Jonathan Swift
, writing to "
Stella
" of Saint Patrick's Day 1713, said "
the Mall
was so full of crosses that I thought all the world was Irish".
[
136
]
In the 1740s, the badges pinned were multicoloured interlaced fabric.
[
137
]
In the 1820s, they were only worn by children, with simple multicoloured daisy patterns.
[
137
]
[
138
]
In the 1890s, they were almost extinct, and a simple green
Greek cross
inscribed in a circle of paper (similar to the Ballina crest pictured).
[
139
]
The Irish Times
in 1935 reported they were still sold in poorer parts of Dublin, but fewer than those of previous years "some in velvet or embroidered silk or poplin, with the gold paper cross entwined with shamrocks and ribbons".
[
140
]
Saint Patrick's Bell
The Shrine of Saint Patrick's Bell
The
National Museum of Ireland
in Dublin possesses a bell (
Clog Phádraig
)
[
141
]
[
143
]
first mentioned, according to the
Annals of Ulster
, in the
Book of Cuanu
in the year 552. The bell was part of a collection of "relics of Patrick" removed from his tomb sixty years after his death by
Colum Cille
to be used as relics. The bell is described as "The Bell of the Testament", one of three relics of "precious minna" (extremely valuable items), of which the other two are described as Patrick's goblet and "The Angels Gospel". Colum Cille is described to have been under the direction of an "Angel" for whom he sent the goblet to
Down
, the bell to
Armagh
, and kept possession of the Angel's Gospel for himself. The name Angels Gospel is given to the book because it was supposed that Colum Cille received it from the angel's hand. A stir was caused in 1044 when two kings, in some dispute over the bell, went on spates of prisoner taking and cattle theft. The annals make one more apparent reference to the bell when chronicling a death, of 1356: "Solomon Ua Mellain, The Keeper of The Bell of the Testament, protector, rested in Christ."
The bell was encased in a "bell shrine", a distinctive Irish type of
reliquary
made for it, as an inscription records, by King
Domnall Ua Lochlainn
sometime between 1091 and 1105. The shrine is an important example of the final, Viking-influenced, style of Irish
Celtic art
, with intricate
Urnes style
decoration in gold and silver. The Gaelic inscription on the shrine also records the name of the maker "U INMAINEN" (which translates to "Noonan"), "who with his sons enriched/decorated it"; metalwork was often inscribed for remembrance.
The bell itself is simple in design, hammered into shape with a small handle fixed to the top with rivets. Originally forged from iron, it has since been coated in bronze. The shrine is inscribed with three names, including King Domnall Ua Lochlainn's. The rear of the shrine, not intended to be seen, is decorated with crosses while the handle is decorated with, among other works, Celtic designs of birds. The bell is accredited with working a miracle in 1044,
[
further explanation needed
]
and having been coated in bronze to shield it from human eyes, for which it would be too holy. It measures 12.5 × 10 cm at the base, 12.8 × 4 cm at the shoulder, 16.5 cm from base to shoulder, 3.3 cm from shoulder to top of the handle and weighs 1.7 kg.
[
144
]
Saint Patrick and Irish identity
A 1909 St Patrick's Day postcard with the Irish slogan "
Erin go bragh
" (Ireland Forever)
Patrick features in many stories in the Irish oral tradition and there are many customs connected with his feast day. The folklorist Jenny Butler discusses how these traditions have been given new layers of meaning over time while also becoming tied to Irish identity both in Ireland and abroad. The symbolic resonance of the Saint Patrick figure is complex and multifaceted, stretching from that of Christianity's arrival in Ireland to an identity that encompasses everything Irish. In some portrayals, the saint is symbolically synonymous with the Christian religion itself. There is also evidence of a combination of indigenous religious traditions with that of Christianity, which places St Patrick in the wider framework of
cultural hybridity
. Popular religious expression has this characteristic feature of merging elements of culture. Later in time, the saint became associated specifically with Catholic Ireland and synonymously with Irish national identity. Subsequently, Saint Patrick is a patriotic symbol along with the colour green and the shamrock. Saint Patrick's Day celebrations include many traditions that are known to be relatively recent historically but have endured through time because of their association either with religious or national identity. They have persisted in such a way that they have become stalwart traditions, viewed as the strongest "Irish traditions".
[
145
]
Places associated with Saint Patrick
Slemish
, County Antrim, traditionally associated with Saint Patrick's time as a shepherd slave
Saint Patrick's statue at Saul, County Down
Saint Patrick's Oratory at the top of
Croagh Patrick
, County Mayo
Slemish
, County Antrim and
Killala Bay
, County Mayo: When captured by raiders, there are two theories as to where Patrick was enslaved. One theory is that he herded sheep in the countryside around Slemish. Another theory is that Patrick herded sheep near Killala Bay, at a place called Fochill.
Saul Monastery
(from
Irish
Sabhall Phádraig
, meaning 'Patrick's barn'):
[
146
]
It is claimed that Patrick founded his first church in a barn at Saul, which was donated to him by a local chieftain called
Dichu
. It is also claimed that Patrick died at Saul or was brought there between his death and burial. Nearby, on the crest of Slieve Patrick, is a huge statue of Patrick with bronze panels showing scenes from his life.
Croagh Patrick
, County Mayo (from
Irish
Cruach Phádraig
, meaning 'Patrick's stack'):
[
147
]
It is claimed that Patrick climbed this mountain and fasted on its summit for the forty days of
Lent
. Croagh Patrick draws thousands of pilgrims who make the trek to the top on the last Sunday in July.
Lough Derg
, County Donegal (from
Irish
Loch Dearg
, meaning 'red lake'):
[
148
]
It is claimed that Patrick killed a large serpent on this lake and that its blood turned the water red (hence the name). Each August, pilgrims spend three days fasting and praying there on Station Island. Located on the island is
St Patrick's Purgatory
which has been considered as the entrance to Purgatory since the Middle Ages.
[
149
]
Armagh
: It is claimed that Patrick founded a church here and proclaimed it to be the most holy church in Ireland. Armagh is today the primary seat of both the Catholic Church in Ireland and the Church of Ireland, and both cathedrals in the town are named after Patrick.
Downpatrick
, County Down (from
Irish
Dún Pádraig
, meaning 'Patrick's stronghold'):
[
150
]
[
failed verification
]
It is claimed that Patrick was brought here after his death and buried in the grounds of Down Cathedral.
Glastonbury Abbey
, England: It is claimed that he was buried within the Abbey grounds next to the high altar, which has led to many believing this is why Glastonbury was popular among Irish pilgrims. It is also believed that he was 'the founder and the first Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey.'
[
151
]
This was recorded by
William of Malmesbury
in his document "De antiquitate Glastoniensis ecclesiae (Concerning the Antiquity of Glastonbury)" that was compiled between 1129 and 1135, where it was noted that "After converting the Irish and establishing them solidly in the Catholic faith he returned to his native land, and was led by guidance from on high to Glastonbury. There he came upon certain holy men living the life of hermits. Finding themselves all of one mind with Patrick they decided to form a community and elected him as their superior. Later, two of their members resided on the Tor to serve its Chapel."
[
152
]
Within the grounds of the Abbey lies
St. Patrick's Chapel, Glastonbury
which is a site of pilgrimage. The well-known Irish Scholar
James Carney
also elaborated on this claim and wrote "it is possible that Patrick, tired and ill at the end of his arduous mission felt released from his vow not to leave Ireland, and returned to the monastery from which he had come, which might have been Glastonbury".
[
153
]
It is also another possible burial site of the saint, where it is documented he has been "interred in the Old Wattle Church".
[
151
]
Stone found below St. Patrick's Well. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland.
Other places named after Saint Patrick include:
Patrickswell Lane, a well in
Drogheda
Town where St. Patrick opened a monastery and baptised the townspeople.
Ardpatrick
, County Limerick (from
Irish
Ard Pádraig
, meaning 'high place of Patrick')
[
154
]
[
failed verification
]
Patrick Water (Old Patrick Water),
Elderslie
, Renfrewshire. from Scots' Gaelic "AlltPadraig" meaning Patrick's Burn
[
155
]
[
156
]
[
157
]
[
158
]
Patrickswell
or Toberpatrick, County Limerick (from
Irish
Tobar Phádraig
, meaning 'Patrick's well')
[
159
]
St Patrick's Well,
Patterdale
[
160
]
Three churches in the Diocese of Carlisle
[
161
]
are dedicated to St Patrick, they are all within the historic county of
Westmorland
: St Patrick's
Patterdale
, at the head of
Ullswater
(the present church was built in the 19th Century but the chapel in Patricksdale is mentioned in a charter of 1348
[
162
]
); St Patrick's Bampton, near
Shap
;
[
163
]
St Patrick's Church, Preston Patrick
near
Kirkby Lonsdale
.
[
164
]
St Patrick's Chapel, Heysham
, a ruined chapel near
St Peter's Church, Heysham
, Lancashire. The chapel dates from the 8th Century.
St Patrick's Island
, County Dublin
Old Kilpatrick
, near
Dumbarton
, Scotland from "Cill Phàdraig," Patrick's Church, a claimant to his birthplace
St Patrick's Isle
, off the
Isle of Man
St. Patricks, Newfoundland and Labrador
, a community in the
Baie Verte
district of
Newfoundland
Llanbadrig
(church),
Ynys Badrig
(island), Porth Padrig (cove), Llyn Padrig (lake), and Rhosbadrig (heath) on the island of
Anglesey
in
Wales
Templepatrick
, County Antrim (from
Irish
Teampall Phádraig
, meaning 'Patrick's church')
[
165
]
St Patrick's Hill, Liverpool, on old maps of the town near to the former location of "St Patrick's Cross"
[
166
]
Parroquia San Patricio y Espiritu Santo
, Loiza, Puerto Rico. The site was initially mentioned in 1645 as a chapel. The actual building was completed by 1729, is one of the oldest churches in the Americas and today represents the faith of many Irish immigrants that settled in Loiza by the end of the 18th century. Today it is a museum.
In Art
Jeanne de Montbaston
, Saint Patrick Preaching (c. 1325-1350)
Richard de Montbaston
, Saint Patrick and the King (1348)
Thomas Messingham
, Florilegum Insulae Sanctorum (1624)
Jacques Callot
, St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland (1636)
Harry Clarke
, Saint Patrick (detail) (1925)
In literature
Pedro Calderón de la Barca
wrote
El Purgatorio de San Patricio
in 1634.
[
167
]
Robert Southey
wrote a
ballad
called "Saint Patrick's Purgatory", first published in 1798, based on popular legends surrounding the saint's name.
[
167
]
Patrick is mentioned in a 17th-century ballad about "
Saint George and the Dragon
"
Stephen R. Lawhead
wrote the fictional
Patrick: Son of Ireland
loosely based on the saint's life, including imagined accounts of training as a druid and service in the Roman army before his conversion.
[
168
]
In film
St. Patrick: The Irish Legend
is a 2000 television historical drama film about the saint's life. Patrick is portrayed by
Patrick Bergin
.
I am Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland
is a 2020 film based on Patrick's own writings and the earliest traditions. Patrick is portrayed by Seán Ó Meallaigh, with Robert McCormack playing him when he is younger and
John Rhys-Davies
in later life.
See also
Saint Mun
Saint Patrick, patron saint archive
Saint Patrick's Breastplate
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's saltire, cross and flag
St Patrick halfpenny
St Patrick's blue
St Patrick's Purgatory
St Patrick's Rock
Notes
^
Latin
:
Pātricius
Irish
:
Pádraig
,
Irish pronunciation:
[ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ]
or
[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ]
Welsh
:
Padrig
,
Welsh pronunciation:
[ˈpadrɪɡ]
References
^
"Saints by Cause"
.
Archived
from the original on 10 August 2006
. Retrieved
25 August
2006
.
^
Zackowitz, Maggie (17 March 2016).
"How St. Patrick became the patron saint of Nigeria"
.
NPR
. Retrieved
11 May
2025
.
^
"Who Was St. Patrick?"
.
History.com
. 16 October 2023.
^
Ritschel, Chelsea; Michallon, Clémence (17 March 2022).
"What is the meaning behind St Patrick's Day?"
.
The Independent
. Retrieved
17 March
2022
.
The day of celebration, which marks the day of St Patrick's death, is a religious holiday meant to celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and made official by the Catholic Church in the early 17th century. Observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church, the day was typically observed with services, feasts and alcohol.
^
"Who was Saint Patrick and why does he have a day?"
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National Geographic
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^
MacAnnaidh, S. (2013).
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ISBN
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^
Both texts in original Latin, various translations and with images of all extant manuscript testimonies on the
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Archived
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. Retrieved
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Macthéni, Muirchú maccu; White, Newport John Davis (1920).
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51,
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60.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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^
"Saints' Lives"
.
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[
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a
b
c
Dumville 1993
, p. 90
^
Eoin Mac Neill,
St. Patrick
, Clonmore and Reynolds, 1964, pp. 87–88
^
Anthony Harvey, "The Significance of
Cothraige
",
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^
"Muirchú's Life of Patrick"
.
celt.ucc.ie
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.
^
Dumville 1993
, p. 16
^
See
Flechner 2011
, pp. 125–26
^
a
b
Ó Cróinín 1995
, p. 26
^
Stancliffe 2004
^
a
b
Byrne 1973
, pp. 78–79
^
a
b
Hennessy, W. M.
(trans.)
Annals of Ulster; otherwise, Annals of Senat
, Vol. I. Alexander Thom & Co. (Dublin), 1887.
^
Dumville, pp. 116–;
Wood 2001
, p. 45 n.5
^
a
b
Paor 1993
, pp. 121–22
^
Ó Cróinín 1995
, p. 27
^
Byrne 1973
, p. 80
^
Thompson, E.A. (1999).
Who Was Saint Patrick?
. The Boydell Press. pp.
166–
75.
^
Roy Flechner (2019).
Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint
. Princeton University Press.
ISBN
978-0691190013
.
Archived
from the original on 11 June 2020
. Retrieved
11 March
2019
.
^
Thomas, Charles (1981).
Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500
. University of California Press. p. 308.
^
Turner, J. H. (1890).
"An Inquiry as to the Birthplace of St. Patrick. By J.H. Turner, M.A. p. 268. Read before the Society, 8 January 1872. Archaeologia Scotica pp. 261–84. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Volume 5, 1890"
.
Archaeologia Scotica
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5
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84.
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. Retrieved
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2019
.
^
a
b
Schama, Simon
(2003).
A History of Britain 1: 3000 BC–AD 1603 At the Edge of the World?
(Paperback 2003 ed.). London:
BBC Worldwide
. p. 47.
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978-0-563-48714-2
.
^
See
Flechner 2019
, pp. 31–32
^
a
b
Thomas 1981
, pp. 339–43
harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 (
help
)
^
See
Flechner 2019
, pp. 31–32
^
MacNeill, Eoin (1926).
"The Native Place of St. Patrick"
.
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy
. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis:
118–
40
. Retrieved
17 March
2013
.
noting that the western coasts of southern Scotland and northern England held little to interest a raider seeking quick access to booty and numerous slaves, while the southern coast of Wales offered both. In addition, the region was home to
Uí Liatháin
and possibly also
Déisi
settlers during this time, so Irish raiders would have had the contacts to tell them precisely where to go to quickly obtain booty and capture slaves. MacNeill also suggests a possible home town in Wales based on naming similarities but allows that the transcription errors in manuscripts make this little more than an educated guess.
^
Cadw
.
"Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort (GM343)"
.
National Historic Assets of Wales
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28 March
2023
.
^
Dumville, David (1999).
Saint Patrick
. Boydell Press. p. 22.
^
"Saint Patrick was 'Somerset man', study finds"
.
History First
. 25 June 2023.
^
a
b
Ranelagh, John (1994).
A Short History of Ireland
. Cambridge University Press. p. 22.
^
Thomas, Charles (1981).
Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500
. University of California Press. p. 311.
^
Paor 1993
, pp. 88, 96;
Bury 1905
, p. 17
^
See
Flechner 2019
, pp. 31–32
^
a
b
Moran, Patrick Francis (1913).
"St. Patrick"
. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
Catholic Encyclopedia
. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^
a
b
c
"Confession of St Patrick"
.
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
. 7 April 2013.
Archived
from the original on 22 February 2014
. Retrieved
8 February
2014
.
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Thomas, Charles (1981).
Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500
. University of California Press. pp.
320–
325.
^
"Confession of St. Patrick, Part 17"
.
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2010
.
^
Bieler, Ludwig.
"The Problem of 'Silua Focluti'
"
. Cambridge University Press.
^
a
b
c
d
e
Rankin, J. Fred (1997).
Down Cathedral The Church of Saint Patrick of Down
. Ulster Historical Foundation. pp.
6–
9.
^
"Confession #19"
.
St Patrick's Confessio
. Royal Irish Academy.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2016
.
^
a
b
Ramirez, Janina (2016).
The Private Lives of the Saints: Power, Passion and Politics in Anglo-Saxon England
. Ebury Publishing. p. 89.
ISBN
978-0-7535-5561-3
.
^
Paor 1993
, pp. 99–100;
Charles-Edwards 2000
, p. 229; Confessio; 17–19
^
Bury, J.B., "Sources of the Early Patrician Documents",
The English Historical Review
, (Mandell Creighton et al, eds.), Longman., July 1904, p. 499
^
Bridgwater, William; Kurtz, Seymour, eds. (1963). "Saint Patrick".
The Columbia Encyclopedia
(3rd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. pp.
1611–
12.
^
a
b
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain
:
Moran, Patrick Francis (1913). "
St. Patrick
". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
Catholic Encyclopedia
. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^
Paor 1993
, p. 100 Paor glosses Foclut as "west of
Killala
Bay, in
County Mayo
", but it appears that the location of Fochoill (Foclut or Voclut) is still a matter of debate. See
Charles-Edwards 2000
, p. 215; Confessio; 17
^
Hood 1978
, p. 4
^
Thomas 1981
, p. 51
harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 (
help
)
^
Thomas, Charles (1981).
Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500
. University of California Press. pp.
332–
335.
^
Bury 1905
, p. 81
^
Dumville, David (1999).
Saint Patrick
. Boydell Press. p. 183-185.
^
Charles-Edwards, Thomas (2012).
"St Patrick and the Landscape of Early Christian Ireland"
(PDF)
. University of Cambridge. pp.
17–
21.
^
"Confession of St. Patrick, Part 50"
.
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
^
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 219–25;
Thomas 1981
, pp. 337–41
harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 (
help
)
;
Paor 1993
, pp. 104–07
^
"Confession | St. Patrick's Confessio"
.
www.confessio.ie
.
Archived
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. Retrieved
31 March
2021
.
^
Paor 1993
, p. 107;
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 221–22
^
Confessio; 21
^
"Letter To Coroticus, by Saint St. Patrick"
. Gilder Lehrman Center at Yale University. Archived from
the original
on 22 March 2010
. Retrieved
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2010
.
^
Todd, James (1864).
"The Epistle on Coroticus"
.
St. Patrick: Apostle of Ireland: a Memoir of His Life and Mission, with an Introductory Dissertation on Some Early Usages of the Church in Ireland, and Its Historical Position from the Establishment of the English Colony to the Present Day
. Dublin: Hodges, Smith, & Co. pp.
383–
85.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2015
.
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Thomas, Charles (1981).
Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500
. University of California Press. pp.
339–
344.
^
Cite error: The named reference
Thomas denfensio
was invoked but never defined (see the
help page
).
^
Paor 1993
, pp. 109–13;
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 226–30
^
Thompson 1980
^
Thomas 1981
, pp. 337–41
harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 (
help
)
;
Paor 1993
, pp. 104–07;
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 217–19
^
See
Flechner 2019
, p. 55
^
Both texts in original Latin and English translations and images of the Book of Armagh manuscript copy on the
"Saint Patrick's Confessio HyperStack website"
.
Archived
from the original on 23 September 2020
. Retrieved
14 September
2011
.
^
Aideen O'Leary, "An Irish Apocryphal Apostle: Muirchú's Portrayal of Saint Patrick"
The Harvard Theological Review
89
.3 (July 1996), pp. 287–301, traces Muichù's sources and his explicit parallels of Patrick with
Moses
, the bringer of
rechte Litre
, the "letter of the Law"; the adversary, King
Lóegaire
, takes the role of Pharaoh.
^
Annals of Ulster
, AU 657.1: "Obitus... Ultán moccu Conchobair."
^
Their works are found in Paor, pp. 154–74 & 175–97 respectively.
^
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 224–26
^
Ó Cróinín 1995
, pp. 30–33.
Ramsay MacMullen
's
Christianizing the Roman Empire
(Yale University Press, 1984) examines the better-recorded mechanics of conversion in the Empire, and forms the basis of Ó Cróinín's conclusions.
^
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 416–17 & 429–40
^
This is presumed to refer to Patrick's
tonsure
.
^
After
Ó Cróinín 1995
, p. 32;
Paor 1993
, p. 180 See also
Ó Cróinín 1995
, pp. 30–33
^
The relevant annals are reprinted in
Paor 1993
, pp. 117–30
^
Paor's conclusions at p. 135, the document itself is given at pp. 135–38.
^
St. Patrick's Day Facts: Snakes, a Slave, and a Saint
Archived
29 June 2011 at the
Wayback Machine
National Geographic
Retrieved 10 February 2011
^
Flechner 2019
, p. 221.
^
Threlkeld, Caleb
Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum alphabetice dispositarum, sive, Commentatio de plantis indigenis præsertim Dublinensibus instituta. With An appendix of observations made upon plants, by Dr. Molyneux
, 1726, cited in "shamrock, n.",
The Oxford English Dictionary
, 2nd ed. 1989
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a
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Hegarty, Neil (2012).
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Santino, Jack (1995).
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Homan, Roger (2006).
The Art of the Sublime: Principles of Christian Art and Architecture
. Ashgate Publishing. p. 37.
^
Roy Flechner (2019).
Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint
.
Princeton University Press
. p. 213.
ISBN
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.
Archived
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Robinson, William Erigena. New Haven Hibernian Provident Society.
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.
p. 8.
Archived
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a
b
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Owen, James (13 March 2008).
"Snakeless in Ireland: Blame Ice Age, Not St. Patrick"
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^
Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint
.
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Archived
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Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí
(1991).
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^
Corlett, Christiaan. "The Prehistoric Ritual Landscape of Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo".
The Journal of Irish Archaeology
, Vol. 9. Wordwell, 1998. p. 19
^
Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí.
Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition
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Franklin, Anna; Mason, Paul (2001).
Lammas: Celebrating Fruits of the First Harvest
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^
Nagy, Joseph Falaky (2006). "Acallam na Senórach". In Koch, John T. (ed.).
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ISBN
978-1-85109-440-0
.
^
MacKillop, James (1998). "Acallam na Senórach".
Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
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ISBN
0-19-860967-1
.
{{
cite encyclopedia
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
^
Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí
.
Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition
. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp. 360–61
^
O'Donovan, John
, ed. (1856).
Annála Rioghachta Éireann. Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters ... with a Translation and Copious Notes
. 7 vols. Translated by O'Donovan (2nd ed.). Dublin:
Royal Irish Academy
.
s.a. 493.3
CELT editions
. Full scans at
Internet Archive
:
Vol. 1
;
Vol. 2
;
Vol. 3
;
Vol. 4
;
Vol. 5
;
Vol. 6
;
Indices
.
^
a
b
O'Rahilly 1942
^
Paor 1993
, pp. 141–43;
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 182–83
Bede
, writing a century later, refers to
Palladius
only.
^
Byrne, pp. 78–79;
Paor 1993
, pp. 6–7, 88–89;
Duffy 1997
, pp. 16–17;
Fletcher 1997
, pp. 300–06;
Yorke 2006
, p. 112
^
There may well have been Christian "Irish" people in Britain at this time;
Goidelic-speaking
people were found on both sides of the
Irish Sea
, with Irish being spoken from
Cornwall
to
Argyll
. The influence of the
Kingdom of Dyfed
may have been of particular importance. See
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 161–72;
Dark 2000
, pp. 188–90;
Ó Cróinín 1995
, pp. 17–18;
Thomas 1981
, pp. 297–300
harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 (
help
)
^
Duffy 1997
, pp. 16–17;
Thomas 1981
, p. 305
harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 (
help
)
^
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 184–87;
Thomas 1981
, pp. 297–300
harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 (
help
)
;
Yorke 2006
, pp. 112–14
^
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 233–40
^
Was St Patrick a slave-trading Roman official who fled to Ireland?
Archived
8 March 2016 at the
Wayback Machine
17 March 2012 Dr Roy Flechner Cambridge Research News. Retrieved 9 March 2016. This article was published in
Tome: Studies in Medieval History and Law in Honour of Thomas Charles-Edwards
, ed. F. Edmonds and P. Russell (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2011).
^
See
Flechner 2011
, pp. 130–33
^
See
Flechner 2011
, pp. 127–28
^
Paor 1993
, pp. 151–53;
Charles-Edwards 2000
, pp. 182–83
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The bell was formerly known as "The Bell of
St Patrick's
Will" (
Clog an eadhachta Phatraic
),
[
142
]
in reference to a medieval forgery which purported to have been the saint's
last will and testament
.
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. 16 March 2016.
Archived
from the original on 1 October 2020
. Retrieved
27 March
2021
.
^
Ademi de Domerham Historia de Rebus Gestis Glastoniensibus, ed. T. Hearne, Oxford, 1727, see: Glastonbury Library.
^
J. Carney, The Problem of St. Patrick, Dublin 1961, p. 121.
^
"Ard Padraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"
.
logainm.ie
. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010.
Archived
from the original on 9 March 2021
. Retrieved
19 October
2012
.
^
"Old Patrick Water, linear feature"
.
Saints in Scottish Place-names
. Commemorations of Saints in Scottish Place-names.
Archived
from the original on 21 September 2015
. Retrieved
15 June
2015
.
^
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Sive Atlas Novus
Volume V, Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam 1654
^
Registrum Monasterii de Passelet, Paisley Abbey Register 1208, 1211, 1226, 1396
^
A History of Elderslie
by Derek P. Parker (1983), pp. vi, 3–4, 5
^
"Tobar Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"
.
logainm.ie
. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010.
Archived
from the original on 29 December 2020
. Retrieved
19 October
2012
.
^
"St Patrick's Well"
. Retrieved
3 October
2021
.
^
"Diocese of Carlisle"
. Retrieved
3 October
2021
.
^
"PatterdalePAST: St Patrick's Church"
. Retrieved
29 April
2024
.
^
Bampton
^
"St Patrick - Diocese of Carlisle"
.
www.carlislediocese.org.uk
. Retrieved
18 May
2025
.
^
"Teampall Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"
.
logainm.ie
. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010.
Archived
from the original on 8 March 2021
. Retrieved
19 October
2012
.
^
"Introduction"
.
Saint Patrick's Cross Liverpool
.
Archived
from the original on 29 October 2012
. Retrieved
19 October
2012
.
^
a
b
Philip Edwards,
Pilgrimage and Literary Tradition
(2005), p. 153
^
"Patrick: Son of Ireland | Books"
. StephenLawhead.com. 23 August 2007. Archived from
the original
on 28 May 2009
. Retrieved
4 October
2009
.
Works cited
Bury, John Bagnell
(1905).
Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History
. London: Macmillan.
Byrne, Francis J.
(1973).
Irish Kings and High-Kings
. London: Batsford.
ISBN
978-0-7134-5882-4
.
Charles-Edwards, T.M.
(2000).
Early Christian Ireland
. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN
978-0-521-36395-2
.
Dark, Ken
(2000).
Britain and the End of the Roman Empire
. Stroud: Tempus.
ISBN
978-0-7524-2532-0
.
Paor, Liam De (1993).
Saint Patrick's World: The Christian Culture of Ireland's Apostolic Age
. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
ISBN
978-1-85182-144-0
.
Duffy, Seán, ed. (1997).
Atlas of Irish History
. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.
ISBN
978-0-7171-3093-1
.
Dumville, David M. (1993).
Saint Patrick, AD 493–1993
. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press.
ISBN
978-0-85115-332-2
.
Flechner, Roy (2011). "Patrick's Reasons for Leaving Britain". In Russell, Edmonds (ed.).
Tome: Studies in Medieval Celtic History and Law in Honour of Thomas Charles-Edwards
. Woodbridge: Boydell Press.
ISBN
978-1-84383-661-2
.
Flechner, Roy (2019).
Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint
. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
ISBN
978-0691184647
.
Archived
from the original on 11 June 2020
. Retrieved
11 March
2019
.
Fletcher, Richard
(1997).
The Conversion of Europe: From Paganism to Christianity 371–1386 AD
. London: Harper Collins.
ISBN
978-0-00-686302-1
.
Hood, A.B.E. (1978).
St. Patrick: his Writings, and Muirchú's Life
. London and Chichester: Phillimore.
ISBN
978-0-85033-299-5
.
Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí
(1995).
Early Medieval Ireland: 400–1200
. London: Longman.
ISBN
978-0-582-01565-4
.
O'Rahilly, T. F.
(1942).
The Two Patricks: A Lecture on the History of Christianity in Fifth-Century Ireland
. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
Stancliffe, Claire (2004).
"Patrick (
fl.
5th cent.)"
.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
doi
:
10.1093/ref:odnb/21562
. Retrieved
17 February
2007
.
(Subscription,
Wikipedia Library
access or
UK public library membership
required.)
Thomas, Charles
(1981).
Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500
. London: Batsford.
ISBN
978-0-7134-1442-4
.
Thompson, E.A. (1980). Caird, G.B.; Chadwick, Henry (eds.). "St. Patrick and Coroticus".
The Journal of Theological Studies
.
31
:
12–
27.
doi
:
10.1093/jts/XXXI.1.12
.
ISSN
0022-5185
.
White, Newport J.D. (1920).
St. Patrick, His Writings and Life
. New York: Macmillan.
Archived
from the original on 11 June 2020
. Retrieved
17 March
2013
.
Wood, Ian (2001).
The Missionary Life: Saints and the Evangelisation of Europe 400–1050
. London: Longman.
ISBN
978-0-582-31213-5
.
Yorke, Barbara
(2006).
The Conversion of Britain: Religion, Politics and Society in Britain c. 600–800
. London: Longman.
ISBN
978-0-582-77292-2
.
Further reading
Brown, Peter
(2003).
The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000
(2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell.
ISBN
978-0-631-22138-8
.
Cahill, Thomas
(1995).
How the Irish Saved Civilization
. New York: Doubleday.
ISBN
978-0-385-41849-2
.
Dumville, David
(1994). "The Death Date of St. Patrick". In Howlett, David (ed.).
The Book of Letters of Saint Patrick the Bishop
. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
ISBN
978-1-85182-136-5
.
Healy, John
(1892).
"The Arrival of Saint Patrick"
.
The Ancient Irish Church
(1 ed.). London: Religious Tract Society. pp.
17–
25.
Hughes, Kathleen
(1972).
Early Christian Ireland: Introduction to the Sources
. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
ISBN
978-0-340-16145-6
.
Iannello, Fausto (2008). "Note storiche sull
'
Epistola ad Milites Corotici
di San Patrizio".
Atti della Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, Classe di Lettere, Filosofia e Belle Arti
.
84
:
275–
85.
Iannello, Fausto (2012), "Il modello paolino nell’
Epistola ad milites Corotici
di san Patrizio,
Bollettino di Studi Latini
42/1: 43–63
Iannello, Fausto (2013), "Notes and Considerations on the Importance of St. Patrick's Epistola ad Milites Corotici as a Source on the Origins of Celtic Christianity and Sub-Roman Britain".
Imago Temporis. Medium Aevum
7 2013: 97–137
Moran, Patrick Francis Cardinal (1913).
"St. Patrick"
. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
Catholic Encyclopedia
. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
McCaffrey, Carmel
(2003).
In Search of Ancient Ireland
. Chicago: Ivan R Dee.
ISBN
978-1-56663-525-7
.
MacQuarrie, Alan (1997).
The Saints of Scotland: Essays in Scottish Church History AD 450–1093
. Edinburgh: John Donald.
ISBN
978-0-85976-446-9
.
O'Loughlin, Thomas
(1999).
Saint Patrick: The Man and his Works
. London: S.P.C.K.
O'Loughlin, Thomas (2000).
Celtic Theology
. London: Continuum.
O'Loughlin, Thomas (2005).
Discovering Saint Patrick
. New York: Orbis.
O'Loughlin, Thomas (2005). "The Capitula of Muirchu's Vita Patricii: do they point to an underlying structure in the text?".
Analecta Bollandiana
.
123
:
79–
89.
doi
:
10.1484/J.ABOL.4.00190
.
O'Loughlin, Thomas (2007). Nagy, J. F. (ed.).
The Myth of Insularity and Nationality in Ireland
. Dublin: Four Courts Press. pp.
132–
40.
External links
Works by Saint Patrick
at
Project Gutenberg
The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick
, edited by James O'Leary, 1880, from
Project Gutenberg
.
Works by or about Saint Patrick
at the
Internet Archive
Works by Saint Patrick
at
LibriVox
(public domain audiobooks)
St. Patrick's Confession and Epistola online from the Royal Irish Academy
BBC: Religion & Ethics, Christianity: Saint Patrick (Incl. audio)
Opera Omnia by Migne Patristica Latina with analytical indexes
CELT
Archived
25 March 2017 at the
Wayback Machine
: Corpus of Electronic Texts at
University College Cork
includes Patrick's
Confessio
and
Epistola
, as well as various lives of Saint Patrick.
Saint Patrick's Confessio Hypertext Stack
as published by the Royal Irish Academy Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources (DMLCS) freely providing digital scholarly editions of Saint Patrick's writings as well as translations and digital facsimiles of all extant manuscript copies.
History Hub.ie
: Saint Patrick – Historical Man and Popular Myth by Elva Johnston (University College Dublin)
Saint Patrick Timeline | Church History Timelines |
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## Contents
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- [(Top)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick)
- [1 Sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Sources)
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- [1\.1 Name](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Name)
- [1\.2 Dating](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Dating)
- [2 Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Life)
Toggle Life subsection
- [2\.1 Early life and captivity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Early_life_and_captivity)
- [2\.2 Return to Britain and education](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Return_to_Britain_and_education)
- [2\.3 Mission in Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Mission_in_Ireland)
- [2\.4 Letter to Coroticus and defence against accusers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Letter_to_Coroticus_and_defence_against_accusers)
- [3 Seventh-century hagiographies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Seventh-century_hagiographies)
- [4 Legends](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Legends)
Toggle Legends subsection
- [4\.1 Patrick uses shamrock in an illustrative parable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Patrick_uses_shamrock_in_an_illustrative_parable)
- [4\.2 Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Patrick_banishes_snakes_from_Ireland)
- [4\.3 Patrick's fast on the mountain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Patrick's_fast_on_the_mountain)
- [4\.4 Patrick and Dáire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Patrick_and_D%C3%A1ire)
- [4\.5 Patrick speaks with ancient Irish ancestors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Patrick_speaks_with_ancient_Irish_ancestors)
- [4\.6 Patrick and the innkeeper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Patrick_and_the_innkeeper)
- [4\.7 Battle for the body of St Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Battle_for_the_body_of_St_Patrick)
- [5 Modern theories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Modern_theories)
Toggle Modern theories subsection
- [5\.1 "Two Patricks" theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#"Two_Patricks"_theory)
- [5\.2 Abduction reinterpreted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Abduction_reinterpreted)
- [6 Sainthood and veneration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Sainthood_and_veneration)
Toggle Sainthood and veneration subsection
- [6\.1 *Saint Patrick's Breastplate*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Saint_Patrick's_Breastplate)
- [6\.2 Saint Patrick's crosses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Saint_Patrick's_crosses)
- [6\.3 Saint Patrick's Bell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Saint_Patrick's_Bell)
- [6\.4 Saint Patrick and Irish identity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Saint_Patrick_and_Irish_identity)
- [7 Places associated with Saint Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Places_associated_with_Saint_Patrick)
- [8 In Art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#In_Art)
- [9 In literature](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#In_literature)
- [10 In film](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#In_film)
- [11 See also](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#See_also)
- [12 Notes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Notes)
- [13 References](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#References)
- [14 Works cited](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Works_cited)
- [15 Further reading](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Further_reading)
- [16 External links](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#External_links)
Toggle the table of contents
# Saint Patrick
69 languages
- [Afrikaans](https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sint_Patrick "Sint Patrick – Afrikaans")
- [العربية](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B3_%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83 "القديس باتريك – Arabic")
- [مصرى](https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B3_%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83 "القديس باتريك – Egyptian Arabic")
- [Asturianu](https://ast.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriciu_d%27Irlanda "Patriciu d'Irlanda – Asturian")
- [Беларуская (тарашкевіца)](https://be-tarask.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%8C%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%82%D1%8B_%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D1%8B%D0%BA "Сьвяты Патрык – Belarusian (Taraškievica orthography)")
- [Български](https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA "Патрик – Bulgarian")
- [Brezhoneg](https://br.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padrig_\(sant\) "Padrig (sant) – Breton")
- [Català](https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrici_d%27Irlanda "Patrici d'Irlanda – Catalan")
- [Čeština](https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svat%C3%BD_Patrik "Svatý Patrik – Czech")
- [Cymraeg](https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sant_Padrig "Sant Padrig – Welsh")
- [Dansk](https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skt._Patrick "Skt. Patrick – Danish")
- [Deutsch](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_von_Irland "Patrick von Irland – German")
- [Ελληνικά](https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%86%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%A0%CE%B1%CF%84%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%99%CF%81%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B4%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82 "Άγιος Πατρίκιος Ιρλανδίας – Greek")
- [Esperanto](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriko_de_Irlando "Patriko de Irlando – Esperanto")
- [Español](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricio_de_Irlanda "Patricio de Irlanda – Spanish")
- [Eesti](https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick "Patrick – Estonian")
- [Euskara](https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrizio_Irlandakoa "Patrizio Irlandakoa – Basque")
- [فارسی](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AA_%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9 "سنت پاتریک – Persian")
- [Suomi](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_\(pyhimys\) "Patrick (pyhimys) – Finnish")
- [Føroyskt](https://fo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankta_P%C3%A1trikur "Sankta Pátrikur – Faroese")
- [Français](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_d%27Irlande "Patrick d'Irlande – French")
- [Gaeilge](https://ga.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomh_P%C3%A1draig "Naomh Pádraig – Irish")
- [Gàidhlig](https://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomh_P%C3%A0draig "Naomh Pàdraig – Scottish Gaelic")
- [Galego](https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricio_de_Irlanda "Patricio de Irlanda – Galician")
- [עברית](https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A4%D7%98%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A7_%D7%94%D7%A7%D7%93%D7%95%D7%A9 "פטריק הקדוש – Hebrew")
- [Hrvatski](https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sveti_Patrik "Sveti Patrik – Croatian")
- [Kreyòl ayisyen](https://ht.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrik_Iland "Patrik Iland – Haitian Creole")
- [Magyar](https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szent_Patrik "Szent Patrik – Hungarian")
- [Հայերեն](https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D5%8D%D5%B8%D6%82%D6%80%D5%A2_%D5%8A%D5%A1%D5%BF%D6%80%D5%AB%D5%AF "Սուրբ Պատրիկ – Armenian")
- [Jaku Iban](https://iba.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sante_Patrick "Sante Patrick – Iban")
- [Bahasa Indonesia](https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_dari_Irlandia "Patrick dari Irlandia – Indonesian")
- [Íslenska](https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heilagur_Patrekur "Heilagur Patrekur – Icelandic")
- [Italiano](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Patrizio "San Patrizio – Italian")
- [日本語](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%91%E3%83%88%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AD%E3%82%A6%E3%82%B9 "パトリキウス – Japanese")
- [ქართული](https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%AC%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%93%E1%83%90_%E1%83%9E%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%98 "წმინდა პატრიკი – Georgian")
- [한국어](https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%ED%8C%8C%ED%8A%B8%EB%A6%AC%EC%B9%98%EC%98%A4 "파트리치오 – Korean")
- [Latina](https://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricius_\(sanctus\) "Patricius (sanctus) – Latin")
- [Lietuvių](https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0v._Patrikas "Šv. Patrikas – Lithuanian")
- [Latviešu](https://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sv%C4%93tais_Patriks "Svētais Patriks – Latvian")
- [Bahasa Melayu](https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Patrick "Santo Patrick – Malay")
- [مازِرونی](https://mzn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%88_%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%88 "سائو پاترئیسیو – Mazanderani")
- [Nederlands](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricius "Patricius – Dutch")
- [Norsk bokmål](https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_av_Irland "Patrick av Irland – Norwegian Bokmål")
- [Ирон](https://os.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%8B%D0%B3%D1%8A%D0%B4%C3%A6%D0%B3_%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA "Сыгъдæг Патрик – Ossetic")
- [Polski](https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patryk_z_Irlandii "Patryk z Irlandii – Polish")
- [Português](https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patr%C3%ADcio_da_Irlanda "Patrício da Irlanda – Portuguese")
- [Runa Simi](https://qu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrisyu_Ilandamanta "Patrisyu Ilandamanta – Quechua")
- [Română](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sf%C3%A2ntul_Patriciu "Sfântul Patriciu – Romanian")
- [Русский](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA "Святой Патрик – Russian")
- [Sardu](https://sc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santu_Patr%C3%ACtziu_de_Irlanda "Santu Patrìtziu de Irlanda – Sardinian")
- [Scots](https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saunt_Petherick "Saunt Petherick – Scots")
- [Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски](https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sveti_Patrik "Sveti Patrik – Serbo-Croatian")
- [Simple English](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick "Saint Patrick – Simple English")
- [Slovenčina](https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrik_\(sv%C3%A4tec\) "Patrik (svätec) – Slovak")
- [Slovenščina](https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sveti_Patrik "Sveti Patrik – Slovenian")
- [Српски / srpski](https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B8_%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA "Свети Патрик – Serbian")
- [Svenska](https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrik_\(helgon\) "Patrik (helgon) – Swedish")
- [Kiswahili](https://sw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_wa_Ireland "Patrick wa Ireland – Swahili")
- [தமிழ்](https://ta.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D "புனித பேட்ரிக் – Tamil")
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Christian missionary, bishop, and saint
For other uses, see [Saint Patrick (disambiguation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick_\(disambiguation\) "Saint Patrick (disambiguation)").
| [Saint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint "Saint") Patrick | |
|---|---|
| [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_Patrick_Catholic_Church_\(Junction_City,_Ohio\)_-_stained_glass,_Saint_Patrick_-_detail.jpg)[Stained-glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stained-glass "Stained-glass") window of Saint Patrick from Saint Patrick Catholic Church, [Junction City, Ohio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junction_City,_Ohio "Junction City, Ohio"), United States | |
| Bishop and Confessor "Apostle of Ireland" | |
| Born | [Britain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Roman_Britain "Sub-Roman Britain") |
| Died | Mid-fifth to early-sixth century [Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ireland_\(400%E2%80%93800\) "History of Ireland (400–800)") |
| Resting place | [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick") |
| Venerated in | [Catholicism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church "Catholic Church") [Eastern Orthodoxy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church "Eastern Orthodox Church") [Oriental Orthodoxy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Orthodox_Churches "Oriental Orthodox Churches") [Lutheranism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheran_Church "Lutheran Church") [Anglicanism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Communion "Anglican Communion") |
| Major [shrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine "Shrine") | Downpatrick, [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick") |
| [Feast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints "Calendar of saints") | 17 March ([Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day")) |
| [Attributes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_symbolism "Saint symbolism") | Crozier, mitre, holding a [shamrock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock "Shamrock"), carrying a cross, repelling [snakes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes "Snakes"), [green colour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green "Green") |
| [Patronage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patron_saint "Patron saint") | Ireland, [Nigeria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria "Nigeria"), [Montserrat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montserrat "Montserrat"), [Archdiocese of New York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_New_York "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York"), [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Newark "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark"), [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Los_Angeles "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles"), [Boston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston "Boston"), [Rolla, Missouri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolla,_Missouri "Rolla, Missouri"), [Loíza, Puerto Rico](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo%C3%ADza,_Puerto_Rico "Loíza, Puerto Rico"), [Murcia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murcia "Murcia") (Spain), [Clann Giolla Phádraig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Giolla_Ph%C3%A1draig "Mac Giolla Phádraig"), [engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer "Engineer"), [paralegals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralegal "Paralegal"), [Archdiocese of Adelaide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Adelaide "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide"), [Archdiocese of Melbourne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Melbourne "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne"); invoked against snakes, [sins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin "Sin")[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-saint_index-1) |
**Saint Patrick**[\[a\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-2) was a fifth-century [Romano-British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romano-British_culture "Romano-British culture") Christian [missionary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary "Missionary") and [bishop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Armagh "Archbishop of Armagh") in [Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_Ireland "Gaelic Ireland"). Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary [patron saint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patron_saint "Patron saint") of [Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland "Ireland"), the other patron saints being [Brigid of Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigid_of_Kildare "Brigid of Kildare") and [Columba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba "Columba"). He is also the patron saint of [Nigeria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria "Nigeria").[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-3) Patrick is venerated as a saint in the [Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church "Catholic Church"), the [Church of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Ireland "Church of Ireland") (part of the [Anglican Communion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Communion "Anglican Communion")), [Lutheranism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism "Lutheranism"), and in the [Eastern Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church "Eastern Orthodox Church"), where he is regarded as [equal-to-the-apostles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-to-apostles "Equal-to-apostles") and Enlightener of Ireland.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-4)[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-RitschelMichallon2022-5)
The dates of Patrick's life cannot be fixed with certainty, but there is general agreement that he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the fifth century. Two Latin writings by Patrick survive: the *Confessio* and the *Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus*. Patrick writes that when he was sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Britain and taken as a [slave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_medieval_Europe "Slavery in medieval Europe") to Ireland. He writes that he lived there for six years as a [herder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herder "Herder") before escaping and returning to his family. After studying for many years, probably in [Gaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaul "Gaul"), he returned to spread Christianity in Ireland. As a bishop, Patrick converted "thousands" and ordained many priests. Years later, he was summoned to Britain by church leaders to answer various accusations. Patrick issued a lengthy and personal statement denying the accusations and defending himself, which became the *Confessio*.
The earliest [hagiographies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographies "Hagiographies") of Patrick were written in the seventh century by [Muirchú](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni") and [Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán"). By this time, he had come to be revered as a patron saint of Ireland. According to tradition, Patrick was the first [bishop of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_of_Armagh "Bishop of Armagh") and [Primate of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primacy_of_Ireland "Primacy of Ireland"), and is credited with bringing [Christianity to Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Christianity_in_Ireland "History of Christianity in Ireland") (despite evidence of some earlier Christian presence), converting the people from [paganism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Celtic_religion "Ancient Celtic religion").[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-6) There are many legends about Patrick, such as him using a [shamrock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock "Shamrock") to symbolize the [Trinity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity "Trinity"), banishing snakes and demons from Ireland, and fasting on a mountaintop.
[Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day"), considered his feast day, is observed on 17 March, the supposed date of his death. It is celebrated in Ireland and among the [Irish diaspora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_diaspora "Irish diaspora") as a religious and cultural holiday. In the [Catholic Church in Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Ireland "Catholic Church in Ireland"), it is both a [solemnity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solemnity "Solemnity") and a [holy day of obligation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_day_of_obligation "Holy day of obligation").
## Sources
Two [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin "Latin") works survive which are generally accepted as having been written by St. Patrick: the *Declaration* ([Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language "Latin language"): *Confessio*)[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-7) and the *Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus* ([Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language "Latin language"): *Epistola*),[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-8) from which come the only generally accepted details of his life.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-9) The *Declaration* is the more biographical of the two. In it, Patrick gives a short account of his life and his mission. Most available details of his life are from subsequent [hagiographies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographies "Hagiographies") and [annals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_annals "Irish annals"), which have considerable value but lack the [empiricism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricism "Empiricism") scholars depend on today.[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-10)
### Name
The only name that Patrick uses for himself in his own writings is Pātricius (Latin pronunciation: [\[paːˈtrɪ.ki.ʊs\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Latin "Help:IPA/Latin")), which gives [Old Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irish_language "Old Irish language"): *Pátraic* Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish") and [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language"): *Pádraig* (Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish") or Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish")); English *Patrick*; [Scottish Gaelic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Gaelic_language "Scottish Gaelic language"): *Pàdraig*; [Welsh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_language "Welsh language"): *Padrig*; [Cornish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_language "Cornish language"): *Petroc*.
[Hagiography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiography "Hagiography") records other names he is said to have borne. [Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán")'s seventh-century *Collectanea* gives "Magonus, that is, famous; Succetus, that is, god of war; Patricius, that is, father of the citizens; Cothirthiacus, because he served four houses of druids."[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Dumville90-11) "Magonus" appears in the ninth-century *[Historia Brittonum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_Brittonum "Historia Brittonum")* as *Maun*, descending from British *\*Magunos*, meaning "servant-lad".[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Dumville90-11) "Succetus", which also appears in [Muirchú moccu Machtheni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni")'s seventh-century *Life* as *Sochet*,[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Dumville90-11) is identified by Mac Neill as "a word of British origin meaning swineherd".[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-EMN-12) Cothirthiacus also appears as *Cothraige* in the 8th-century biographical poem known as *Fiacc's Hymn* and a variety of other spellings elsewhere, and is taken to represent a [Primitive Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_Irish_language "Primitive Irish language"): \**Qatrikias*, although this is disputed. Harvey argues that *Cothraige* "has the form of a classic Old Irish tribal (and therefore place-) name", noting that *Ail Coithrigi* is a name for the [Rock of Cashel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Cashel "Rock of Cashel"), and the place-names *Cothrugu* and *Catrige* are attested in Counties [Antrim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Antrim "County Antrim") and [Carlow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Carlow "County Carlow").[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-13)
Muirchú summarizes that these four names correspond to Patrick's different roles at different periods of this life: "Patrick son of Calforni(us) had four names: Sochet when he was born, Cothriche when he was a slave, Mauonius when he studied, Patrick when he was consecrated."[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-14)
### Dating
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gravestone_of_St._Patrick,_Downpatrick_2018-07-25.jpg)
The reputed burial place of Saint Patrick in [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick")
The dates of Patrick's life are uncertain; there are conflicting traditions regarding the year of his death. His own writings provide no evidence for any dating more precise than the 5th century generally. His Biblical quotations are a mixture of the [Old Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vetus_Latina "Vetus Latina") version and the [Vulgate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgate "Vulgate"), completed in the early 5th century, suggesting he was writing "at the point of transition from Old Latin to Vulgate",[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-15) although it is possible the Vulgate readings may have been added later, replacing earlier readings.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-16) The *Letter to Coroticus* implies that the [Franks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franks "Franks") were still pagans at the time of writing;[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26-17) their conversion to Christianity is dated to the period 496–508.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-18)
The [Irish annals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_annals "Irish annals") date Patrick's arrival in Ireland at 432, but they were compiled in the mid-6th century at the earliest.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26-17) The date 432 was probably chosen to minimise the contribution of [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)"), who was known to have been sent to Ireland in 431, and maximise that of Patrick.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Byrne78%E2%80%9379-19) A variety of dates are given for his death. In 457 "the elder Patrick" ([Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language"): *Patraic Sen*) is said to have died: this may refer to the death of Palladius, who according to the *[Book of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Armagh "Book of Armagh")* was also called Patrick.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Byrne78%E2%80%9379-19) In 461/2 the annals say that "Here some record the repose of Patrick";[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Henny-20): 19 in 492/3 they record the death of "Patrick, the arch-apostle (or archbishop and apostle) of the Scoti", on 17 March, at the age of 120.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Henny-20): 31
While some modern historians[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-21) accept the earlier date of c. 460 for Patrick's death, scholars of early Irish history tend to prefer a later date, c. 493. Supporting the later date, the annals record that in 553 "the relics of Patrick were placed *sixty years after his death* in a shrine by [Colum Cille](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colum_Cille "Colum Cille")" (emphasis added).[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Paor121-122-22) The death of Patrick's disciple [Mochta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochta "Mochta") is dated in the annals to 535 or 537,[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Paor121-122-22)[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-23) and the early hagiographies "all bring Patrick into contact with persons whose obits occur at the end of the fifth century or the beginning of the sixth".[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Byrne80-24) However, [E. A. Thompson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._A._Thompson "E. A. Thompson") considers that none of the dates given for Patrick's death in the Annals are reliable.[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-25) A recent biography suggests that a late fifth-century date for the saint is not impossible.[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-26): 34–35
## Life
### Early life and captivity
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:End.of.Roman.rule.in.Britain.383.410.jpg)
Late Roman Britain
Patrick was born in [Britain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Britain "Roman Britain") at the [end of Roman rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_Roman_rule_in_Britain "End of Roman rule in Britain"). He came from a family of [Romano-Britons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romano-British_culture "Romano-British culture"), i.e. Romanized [Celtic Britons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Britons "Celtic Britons"). He would have spoken [British Celtic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Brittonic "Common Brittonic") as his mother tongue, the [Irish language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Irish_language "History of the Irish language"), and some [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Latin "British Latin").[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-27) In his *Confessio*, Patrick writes that his father, Calpurnius, was a [decurion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decurion_\(administrative\) "Decurion (administrative)") (senator and tax collector) of an unnamed Romano-British town, and also a [deacon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deacon "Deacon") in the [Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Roman_Britain "Christianity in Roman Britain"); his grandfather Potitus was a [priest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priest "Priest").[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-28) However, Patrick writes that he was not religious in his youth, and considered himself in that period to be "idle and callow".[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:1-29)
His birthplace is not known with any certainty, but it is believed to be near the [Irish Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Sea "Irish Sea") (as he was captured by Irish pirates) and near a large Roman town (as his father was a decurion).[\[29\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-30) Patrick writes that his family hailed from the *[vicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicus "Vicus")* of *Bannavem Taburniae*, and that his father had a small *[villa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_villa "Roman villa")* nearby. Several places have been proposed. One is the Roman fort [Banna (Birdoswald)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banna_\(Birdoswald\) "Banna (Birdoswald)") on [Hadrian's Wall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadrian%27s_Wall "Hadrian's Wall"), which is near [Luguvalium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luguvalium "Luguvalium") ([Carlisle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlisle "Carlisle")) in [Cumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbria "Cumbria").[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:2-31)[\[31\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-32) Another is [Banwen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banwen "Banwen") in south Wales,[\[32\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-33) which was the site of a Roman marching camp.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-34) The [West Country](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Country "West Country") has also been proposed;[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-35) particularly [Banwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banwell "Banwell")\-Wint Hill,[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-36) and [Avonmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avonmouth "Avonmouth"),[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Avonmouth-37) both in [Somerset](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset "Somerset"). It has been suggested that the last part of *Bannavem Taburniae* refers to the [Severn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Severn "River Severn") (*Sabrina*)[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Avonmouth-37) or that it is made up of the Celtic *banna* (promontory) *venta* (town) and *berniae* (a pass or gap).[\[37\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-38) The Roman town of [Bannaventa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bannaventa "Bannaventa") in Northamptonshire is phonically similar to the name Patrick gave, but is probably too far from the sea.[\[38\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-39) Muirchú's 7th century *Life* of Patrick says that he was born at a place called *Nemthor*, which in the following centuries was identified with a place near [Dumbarton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton_Rock "Dumbarton Rock") in [Strathclyde](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Strathclyde "Kingdom of Strathclyde").[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-40) Nearby is [Kilpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Kilpatrick "Old Kilpatrick"), another proposed birthplace.[\[40\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-MoranCite-41)
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ballymena_St._Patrick%27s_Church_W15_%E2%80%9CPatrick_the_Enslaved_on_Slemish%E2%80%9D_2014_09_15.jpg)
A stained-glass window in St Patrick's Church, [Ballymena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballymena "Ballymena"), showing him as a shepherd near [Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish") mountain
According to his *Confession*, he was captured at the age of sixteen from his family's villa at *Bannavem Taburniae* by a group of Irish pirates.[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-ccel.org-42) They took him to Ireland where he was enslaved and held captive for six years. Patrick writes in the *Confession* that the time he spent in captivity was critical to his spiritual growth. He says that God gave him the opportunity to be forgiven his sins and to grow in his faith through prayer.[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-ccel.org-42)
As a slave, Patrick worked as a herder and was introduced to the Irish culture that would define his life and reputation.[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:1-29) Patrick does not say where in Ireland he worked.[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) However, in his *Confessio*, he recounts a dream he had many years later, where the people near "the wood of [Foclut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foclut "Foclut")" (*silva Focluti* or *Vocluti*), which is "next to the western sea", beseech him to "come and walk again amongst us".[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) This suggests that Foclut was in the area of his captivity.[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) Patrick writes that after six years of captivity, he heard a voice telling him that he would soon go home, and then that his ship was ready. Fleeing his master, he travelled 200 [Roman miles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_mile "Roman mile") (about 188 statute miles or 300 km) to a port, presumably on the eastern or southern coast,[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) where he found a ship and persuaded the captain to take him aboard.[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-44) It is generally believed that Foclut refers to Foghill (*Fochoill*, meaning "under-wood") near [Killala Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killala_Bay "Killala Bay") in [Connacht](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Connacht "Kingdom of Connacht").[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43)[\[44\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-45) However, Patrick's hagiographer Muirchú said it was in the area of [Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish") mountain (*Sliabh Mis*) in [Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulaid "Ulaid").[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46)
Patrick says that they sailed for three days before reaching land. The likelihood that they set sail from the eastern or southern coast, and the length of the journey, suggests that they may have sailed to [Gaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaul "Gaul"), perhaps [Armorica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armorica "Armorica").[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) All apparently disembarked and then walked for 28 days in a "wilderness", becoming faint from hunger. Patrick prayed for sustenance, and about the sixteenth day, they came upon a herd of [wild boar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_boar "Wild boar") and were able to feed themselves. Eventually they reached civilization.[\[46\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-47) Patrick's account of his escape from slavery is recounted in his *Confessio*.[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:0-48)
### Return to Britain and education
After a few years (*paucos annos*), Patrick says he returned home to his family in Britain, now in his early twenties.[\[48\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-49) Patrick then began his ecclesiastical training. Muirchú says that Patrick studied at [Auxerre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxerre "Auxerre") in central Gaul for thirty years.[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46) [J. B. Bury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._Bury "J. B. Bury") suggests that [Amator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amator "Amator") ordained Patrick to the diaconate at Auxerre.[\[49\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-50) It is suggested that [Saint Germanus of Auxerre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Germanus_of_Auxerre "Saint Germanus of Auxerre"), a bishop of the [Western Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity "Western Christianity"), ordained him to the priesthood,[\[50\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-51) while [Maximus of Turin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximus_of_Turin "Maximus of Turin") is said to have consecrated him as bishop.[\[51\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Moran-52) However, Tírechán says that Patrick studied for thirty years at [Lérins Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9rins_Abbey "Lérins Abbey") off the south coast of Gaul.[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46)
Patrick recounts that he had a vision a few years after returning home:
> I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish" (*Vox Hiberionacum*). As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of [Foclut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foclut "Foclut"), which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us."[\[52\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-53)
A.B.E. Hood suggests that the Victoricus of St. Patrick's vision may be identified with Saint [Victricius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victricius "Victricius"), bishop of [Rouen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen "Rouen") in the late fourth century, who had visited Britain in an official capacity in 396.[\[53\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-54) However, Ludwig Bieler disagrees.[\[54\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-55)
Patrick writes in his *Epistola* that he was a bishop established in Ireland, and that he had sold his "nobility ... for the sake of others". It is presumed that the church in Britain sent Patrick to be a bishop for part of Ireland, with Papal approval, and that he had sold his late father's estate to raise funds for the Irish bishopric.[\[55\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-56)
### Mission in Ireland
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ireland%27s_crown_of_thorns_and_roses;_or,_The_best_of_her_history_by_the_best_of_her_writers,_a_series_of_historical_narratives_that_read_as_entertainingly_as_a_novel_\(1904\)_\(14754489376\).jpg)
"Patrick going to [Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Tara "Hill of Tara")", illustration from a 1904 book
Patrick returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary.[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-ccel.org-42) According to Muirchú, he landed at *Inber Dea* in [Cualu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cualu "Cualu") (now [Arklow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arklow "Arklow") in [County Wicklow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Wicklow "County Wicklow")).[\[56\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Bury81-57) Muirchú says that Patrick then decided to travel north to convert his former master, Miliuc of [Dál mBuinne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1l_mBuinne "Dál mBuinne"), and to buy his freedom.[\[57\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-58) He rested at [an island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Island "St Patrick's Island") later named after him, before sailing north and landing at [Mag Inis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lecale "Lecale") in the territory of [Dál Fiatach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1l_Fiatach "Dál Fiatach").[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46) According to Muirchú, Patrick converted the local chieftain Díchu and was given a barn as a church, which became known as *Sabhall Phádraig* (Patrick's barn), now [Saul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Monastery "Saul Monastery").[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46) Tírechán, however, says that Patrick landed in [Brega](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Brega "Kings of Brega") and founded his first churches there, then travelled clockwise around the island.[\[58\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-59) Brega was part of the [kingdom of Meath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Meath "Kingdom of Meath") and included the royal capital of [Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Tara "Hill of Tara"). He says that Benen (or [Benignus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benignus_of_Armagh "Benignus of Armagh")), son of the chieftain Secsnán, was Patrick's first Irish disciple.[\[51\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Moran-52) After founding his first church, both Muirchú and Tírechán have Patrick contending with [Lóegaire mac Néill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3egaire_mac_N%C3%A9ill "Lóegaire mac Néill"), the [king of Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Tara "King of Tara").
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carlow_Cathedral_St_Patrick_Preaching_to_the_Kings_2009_09_03.jpg)
Stained glass window in [Carlow Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlow_Cathedral "Carlow Cathedral"), showing Saint Patrick preaching to Irish kings
From the *Confessio*, something can be seen of Patrick's mission. He writes that he "baptised thousands of people",[\[59\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-60) even planning to convert his slavers.[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:0-48) He ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became [nuns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nun "Nun") in the face of family opposition. He also dealt with the sons of kings, converting them too.[\[60\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-61) The *Confessio* is generally vague about the details of his work in Ireland, though giving some specific instances. This is partly because, as he says at points, he was writing for a local audience of Christians who knew him and his work. There are several mentions of travelling around the island and of sometimes difficult interactions with the ruling elite. He claims of the Irish:
> Never before did they know of God except to serve idols and unclean things. But now, they have become the people of the Lord, and are called children of God. The sons and daughters of the leaders of the Irish are seen to be monks and virgins of Christ\![\[61\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-62)
Patrick's position as a foreigner in Ireland was not an easy one. His refusal to accept gifts from kings placed him outside the normal ties of kinship, fosterage and affinity. He says that he was on one occasion beaten, robbed of all he had, and put in chains, perhaps awaiting execution.[\[62\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-63) Patrick says that he was also "many years later" a captive for 60 days, without giving details.[\[63\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-64)
### Letter to Coroticus and defence against accusers
Patrick's *Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus* (*Epistola ad milites Corotici*), is an [open letter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_letter "Open letter") announcing his [excommunication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication "Excommunication") of a British king, Coroticus, and his soldiers, because they had killed and enslaved some of Patrick's new converts while raiding in Ireland.[\[64\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-65) Patrick writes, "I cannot say that they are my fellow-citizens, nor fellow-citizens of the saints of Rome, but fellow-citizens of demons, because of their evil works". He calls them "allies of the [Scots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoti "Scoti") and [apostate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy "Apostasy") [Picts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picts "Picts")".[\[65\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-66) In other words, Coroticus was at least nominally Christian, and the southern Picts had converted to Christianity but lapsed into paganism.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) The Scots (*Scotti* in Latin) are most likely the [Gaels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaels "Gaels") of [Dál Riata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1l_Riata "Dál Riata"). Coroticus is widely believed to be king [Ceretic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceretic_Guletic "Ceretic Guletic") of [Alt Clut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Strathclyde "Kingdom of Strathclyde"), the region surrounding [Dumbarton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton_Rock "Dumbarton Rock") (*Ail Cluaithe* in Irish).[\[67\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_denfensio-68)[\[68\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-69) Thompson however proposed that Coroticus was a Romano-British warlord based at [Ailech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Ailech "Kings of Ailech") in the north of Ireland.[\[69\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-70)
After spending decades in Ireland, Patrick was summoned to Britain by church leaders to answer various accusations or charges.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) He is estimated to have been around 60 years old.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) It is possible that Patrick's letter led to his being summoned.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67)[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:2-31) Historian [Charles Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Thomas_\(historian\) "Charles Thomas (historian)") suggests that there were longstanding accusations against Patrick; when he publicly excommunicated king Coroticus, he overstepped his authority, and the Church in northern Britain at last decided to call him to account.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67)
Patrick does not say outright what these accusations were, but they can be inferred based on the rebuttals he gives in his *Confessio*. He was accused of some kind of financial impropriety, and perhaps of having obtained his bishopric in Ireland with personal gain in mind.[\[70\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-71) Specific accusations seem to be that he accepted valuable gifts from the Irish nobility, including from those hoping to be [ordained](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordination "Ordination"), and took payment for baptisms. Patrick refused to leave Ireland, but instead issued a lengthy statement denying the accusations and defending himself.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) He says that he gave up his nobility in Britain, left his family and his homeland to work in Ireland, suffering insult, violence and imprisonment. Patrick says he returned the gifts wealthy women gave him, did not ask payment for baptisms, nor for ordaining priests, and indeed paid for many gifts to kings and judges, as well as compensating the sons of chiefs to accompany him. According to Roy Flechner, the *Confessio* was written in part as a defence against his detractors, who did not believe that he was taken to Ireland as a slave, despite Patrick's vigorous insistence that he was.[\[71\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-72)
## Seventh-century hagiographies
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_Patrick_by_Boris_Anrep.jpg)
A mosaic of Saint Patrick in [Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Christ_the_King,_Mullingar "Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar"), showing Patrick lighting the Easter fire at [Slane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slane "Slane") and destroying pagan idols
Two works by late seventh-century [hagiographers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographer "Hagiographer") of Patrick have survived. These are the *Vita sancti Patricii* of [Muirchú moccu Machtheni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni") and the writings of [Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán").[\[72\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-73) Both writers relied upon an earlier work, now lost, the *Book of Ultán*.[\[73\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-74) This Ultán, probably the same person as [Ultan of Ardbraccan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultan_of_Ardbraccan "Ultan of Ardbraccan"), was Tírechán's foster-father. His obituary is given in the *[Annals of Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_Ulster "Annals of Ulster")* under the year 657.[\[74\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-75) These works thus date from a century and a half after Patrick's death.
The Patrick portrayed by Tírechán and Muirchu is a martial figure, who contests with [druids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druid "Druid"), overthrows pagan idols, and curses kings and kingdoms.[\[75\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-76) On occasion, their accounts contradict Patrick's own writings: Tírechán states that Patrick accepted gifts from female converts although Patrick himself flatly denies this. However, the emphasis Tírechán and Muirchu placed on female converts, and in particular royal and noble women who became nuns, is thought to be a genuine insight into Patrick's work of conversion. Patrick also worked with the unfree and the poor, encouraging them to vows of monastic chastity. Tírechán's account suggests that many early Patrician churches were combined with nunneries founded by Patrick's noble female converts.[\[76\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-77)
The martial Patrick found in Tírechán and Muirchu, and in later accounts, echoes similar figures found during the conversion of the [Roman Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire "Roman Empire") to Christianity. It may be doubted whether such accounts are an accurate representation of Patrick's time, although such violent events may well have occurred as Christians gained in strength and numbers.[\[77\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-78)
Much of the detail supplied by Tírechán and Muirchu, in particular the churches established by Patrick, and the monasteries founded by his converts, may relate to the situation in the seventh century, when the churches which claimed ties to Patrick, and in particular [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh"), were expanding their influence throughout Ireland in competition with the church of [Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kildare "Kildare"). In the same period, [Wilfred](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid_II_\(bishop_of_York\) "Wilfrid II (bishop of York)"), [Archbishop of York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_York "Archbishop of York"), claimed to speak, as [metropolitan archbishop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_archbishop "Metropolitan archbishop"), "for all the northern part of Britain and of Ireland" at a council held in Rome in the time of [Pope Agatho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Agatho "Pope Agatho"), thus claiming jurisdiction over the Irish church.[\[78\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-79)
Muirchú's life of Saint Patrick contains a supposed prophecy by the [druids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druid "Druid") which gives an impression of how Patrick and other Christian missionaries were seen by those hostile to them:
> Across the sea will come [Adze](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adze "Adze")\-head,[\[79\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-80) crazed in the head,
> his cloak with hole for the head, his stick bent in the head.
> He will chant impieties from a table in the front of his house;
> all his people will answer: "so be it, so be it."[\[80\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-81)
Both Muirchú and Tírechán say that Patrick contended with [Lóegaire mac Néill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3egaire_mac_N%C3%A9ill "Lóegaire mac Néill"), the [king of Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Tara "King of Tara"). Muirchú includes a famous story that Patrick lit a [Paschal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschal_Full_Moon "Paschal Full Moon") ([Easter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter "Easter")) fire on the [Hill of Slane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Slane "Hill of Slane"), in defiance of the king. The story says that the fire could not be doused by anyone but Patrick.
Other presumed early materials include the [Irish annals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_annals "Irish annals"), which contain records from the [Chronicle of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronicle_of_Ireland "Chronicle of Ireland"). These sources have [conflated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflation "Conflation") [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") and Patrick.[\[81\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-82) Another early document is the so-called *First Synod of Saint Patrick*. This is a seventh-century document, once, but no longer, taken as to contain a fifth-century original text. It apparently collects the results of several early synods, and represents an era when pagans were still a major force in Ireland. The introduction attributes it to Patrick, Auxilius, and Iserninus, a claim which "cannot be taken at face value."[\[82\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-83)
## Legends
### Patrick uses shamrock in an illustrative parable
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kilbennan_St._Benin%27s_Church_Window_St._Patrick_Detail_2010_09_16.jpg)
Patrick depicted with shamrock in detail of stained glass window in St. Benin's Church, Kilbennan, County Galway, Ireland
Legend credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the doctrine of the [Holy Trinity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Trinity "Holy Trinity") by showing people the [shamrock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock "Shamrock"), a three-leafed plant, using it to illustrate the Christian teaching of three persons in one God.[\[83\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-84) The earliest written version of the story is given by the botanist [Caleb Threlkeld](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleb_Threlkeld "Caleb Threlkeld") in his 1726 *Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum*, but the earliest surviving records associating Patrick with the plant are coins depicting Patrick clutching a shamrock which were minted in the 1680s.[\[84\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFlechner2019221-85)[\[85\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-86)
In pagan Ireland, three was a significant number and the Irish had many [triple deities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_deity "Triple deity"), a fact that may have aided Patrick in his [evangelisation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelism "Evangelism") efforts when he "held up a shamrock and discoursed on the Christian Trinity".[\[86\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Monaghan2009-87)[\[87\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Hegarty2012-88) [Patricia Monaghan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Monaghan "Patricia Monaghan") says there is no evidence that the shamrock was sacred to the pagan Irish.[\[86\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Monaghan2009-87) However, [Jack Santino](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Santino "Jack Santino") speculates that it may have represented the regenerative powers of nature, and was recast in a Christian context. [Icons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon "Icon") of St Patrick often depict the saint "with a [cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_cross "Christian cross") in one hand and a sprig of shamrocks in the other".[\[88\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Santino1995-89) Roger Homan writes, "We can perhaps see St Patrick drawing upon the visual concept of the *[triskele](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_spiral "Triple spiral")* when he uses the shamrock to explain the Trinity".[\[89\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-90)
### Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:STP-ELP.jpg)
Patrick banishing the snakes
Ireland was well known to be a land without snakes, and this was noted as early as the third century by [Gaius Julius Solinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Julius_Solinus "Gaius Julius Solinus"), but later legend credited Patrick with banishing snakes from the island. The earliest text to mention an Irish saint banishing snakes from Ireland is in fact the Life of Saint [Columba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba "Columba") (chapter 3.23), written in the late seventh or early eighth century.[\[90\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-91) The earliest writings about Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes are by [Jocelyn of Furness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyn_of_Furness "Jocelyn of Furness") in the late twelfth century,[\[91\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-92) who says that Patrick chased them into the sea after they attacked him during his fast on a mountain.[\[92\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-news.nationalgeographic.com-93) [Gerald of Wales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_of_Wales "Gerald of Wales") also mentions the story in the early thirteenth century, but he is doubtful of its truthfulness.[\[93\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-94) [Post-glacial Ireland never had snakes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reptiles_of_Ireland#Order:_Squamata_\(lizards,_snakes\) "List of reptiles of Ireland").[\[92\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-news.nationalgeographic.com-93) "At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so \[there was\] nothing for St. Patrick to banish", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records.[\[92\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-news.nationalgeographic.com-93)
### Patrick's fast on the mountain
[Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán") wrote in the 7th century that Patrick spent forty days on the mountaintop of [Cruachán Aigle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick"), as [Moses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses "Moses") did on [Mount Sinai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai_\(Bible\) "Mount Sinai (Bible)"). The 9th century *Bethu Phátraic* says that Patrick was harassed by a flock of black demonic birds while on the peak, and he banished them into the hollow of Lugnademon ("hollow of the demons") by ringing his bell. Patrick ended his fast when God gave him the right to judge all the Irish at the [Last Judgement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Judgment "Last Judgment"), and agreed to spare the land of Ireland from the [final desolation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation "Book of Revelation").[\[94\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-95)[\[40\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-MoranCite-41) A later legend tells how Patrick was tormented on the mountain by a demonic female serpent named Corra or Caorthannach. Patrick is said to have banished the serpent into Lough Na Corra below the mountain, or into a hollow from which the lake burst forth.[\[95\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-96) The mountain is now known as [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick") (Cruach Phádraig) after the saint.
### Patrick and Dáire
According to tradition, Patrick founded his main church at [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh") (Ard Mhacha) in the year 445. [Muirchú](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni") writes that a pagan chieftain named [Dáire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ire "Dáire") would not let Patrick build a church on the hill of Ard Mhacha, but instead gave him lower ground to the east. One day, Dáire's horses die after grazing on the church land. He tells his men to kill Patrick, but is himself struck down with illness. Dáire's men beg Patrick to heal him, and Patrick's holy water revives both Dáire and his horses. Dáire rewards Patrick with a great bronze cauldron and gave him the hill of Ard Mhacha to build a church, which eventually became the head church of Ireland. Dáire has similarities with [the Dagda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dagda "The Dagda"), an Irish god who owns a cauldron of plenty.[\[96\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-97)
In a later legend, the pagan chieftain is named [Crom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crom_Dubh "Crom Dubh"). Patrick asks the chieftain for food, and Crom sends his bull, in the hope that it will drive off or kill Patrick. Instead, it meekly submits to Patrick, allowing itself to be slaughtered and eaten. Crom demands his bull be returned. Patrick has the bull's bones and hide put together and brings it back to life. In some versions, Crom is so impressed that he converts to Christianity, while in others he is killed by the bull. In parts of Ireland, [Lughnasa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lughnasa "Lughnasa") (1 August) is called 'Crom's Sunday' and the legend could recall [bull sacrifices](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_sacrifice "Bull sacrifice") during the festival.[\[97\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-98)
### Patrick speaks with ancient Irish ancestors
The twelfth-century work *[Acallam na Senórach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acallam_na_Sen%C3%B3rach "Acallam na Senórach")* tells of Patrick being met by two ancient warriors, [Caílte mac Rónáin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ca%C3%ADlte_mac_R%C3%B3n%C3%A1in "Caílte mac Rónáin") and [Oisín](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ois%C3%ADn "Oisín"), during his evangelical travels. The two were once members of [Fionn mac Cumhaill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fionn_mac_Cumhaill "Fionn mac Cumhaill")'s warrior band the [Fianna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fianna "Fianna"), and somehow survived to Patrick's time.[\[98\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-99) In the work St. Patrick seeks to convert the warriors to Christianity, while they defend their pagan past. The heroic pagan lifestyle of the warriors, of fighting and feasting and living close to nature, is contrasted with the more peaceful, but unheroic and non-sensual life offered by Christianity.[\[99\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-mackillop-100)
### Patrick and the innkeeper
A much later legend tells of Patrick visiting an [inn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inn "Inn") and chiding the innkeeper for being ungenerous with her guests. Patrick tells her that a demon is hiding in her cellar and being fattened by her dishonesty. He says that the only way to get rid of the demon is by mending her ways. Sometime later, Patrick revisits the inn to find that the innkeeper is now serving her guests cups of whiskey filled to the brim. He praises her generosity and brings her to the cellar, where they find the demon withering away. It then flees in a flash of flame, and Patrick decrees that people should have a drink of whiskey on his feast day in memory of this. This is said to be the origin of "drowning the shamrock" on Saint Patrick's Day.[\[100\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-101)
### Battle for the body of St Patrick
According to the *[Annals of the Four Masters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_the_Four_Masters "Annals of the Four Masters")*, an early-modern compilation of earlier annals, his corpse soon became an object of conflict in the Battle for the Body of Saint Patrick (*Cath Coirp Naomh Padraic*):
> The [Uí Néill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U%C3%AD_N%C3%A9ill "Uí Néill") and the [Airgíalla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airg%C3%ADalla "Airgíalla") attempted to bring it to Armagh; the [Ulaid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulaid "Ulaid") tried to keep it for themselves.
>
> When the Uí Néill and the Airgíalla came to a certain water, the river swelled against them so that they were not able to cross it. When the flood had subsided the Ui Neill and the Ulaid united on terms of peace, to bring the body of Patrick with them. It appeared to each of them that each had the body conveying it to their respective territories. The body of Patrick was afterwards interred at [Dun Da Lethglas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick") with great honour and veneration; and during the twelve nights that the religious seniors were watching the body with psalms and hymns, it was not night in Magh Inis or the neighbouring lands, as they thought, but as if it were the full undarkened light of day.[\[101\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-102)
## Modern theories
### "Two Patricks" theory
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Patrick%27s_mission_to_Ireland_from_the_Pope,_Kilkenny_cathedral.jpg)
Saint Patrick sent to Ireland by the Pope; wall mosaic in [St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary%27s_Cathedral,_Kilkenny "St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny"). Emphasising the supposed papal mission of Patrick would help lend credence to the Catholic teaching that the Irish church was always under Papal authority.
Irish academic [T. F. O'Rahilly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._F._O%27Rahilly "T. F. O'Rahilly") proposed the "Two Patricks" theory,[\[102\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-O'Rahilly_1942-103) which suggests that many of the traditions later attached to Saint Patrick actually concerned the aforementioned [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)"), who, according to [Prosper of Aquitaine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosper_of_Aquitaine "Prosper of Aquitaine")'s *Chronicle*, was sent by [Pope Celestine I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Celestine_I "Pope Celestine I") as the first bishop to Irish Christians in 431. An early document which is silent concerning Patrick is the letter of [Columbanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbanus "Columbanus") to [Pope Boniface IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Boniface_IV "Pope Boniface IV") of about 613. Columbanus writes that Ireland's Christianity "was first handed to us by you, the successors of the holy apostles", apparently referring to [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") only, and ignoring Patrick.[\[103\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-104) Palladius was not the only early cleric in Ireland at this time. The Irish-born Saint [Ciarán of Saigir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciar%C3%A1n_of_Saigir "Ciarán of Saigir") lived in the later fourth century (352–402) and was the first bishop of [Ossory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Ossory "Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory"). Ciaran, along with saints [Auxilius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxilius_of_Ireland "Auxilius of Ireland"), [Secundinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secundinus "Secundinus") and [Iserninus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iserninus "Iserninus"), is also associated with early churches in [Munster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munster "Munster") and [Leinster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leinster "Leinster"). By this reading, [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") was active in Ireland until the 460s.[\[104\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-105)
Prosper associates Palladius' appointment with the visits of [Germanus of Auxerre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanus_of_Auxerre "Germanus of Auxerre") to Britain to suppress [Pelagianism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagianism "Pelagianism") and it has been suggested that Palladius and his colleagues were sent to Ireland to ensure that exiled Pelagians did not establish themselves among the Irish Christians. The appointment of Palladius and his fellow bishops was not obviously a mission to convert the Irish, but more probably intended to minister to existing Christian communities in Ireland.[\[105\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-106) The sites of churches associated with Palladius and his colleagues are close to royal centres of the period: Secundus is remembered by [Dunshaughlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunshaughlin "Dunshaughlin"), [County Meath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Meath "County Meath"), close to the [Hill of Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Tara "Hill of Tara") which is associated with the [High King of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_King_of_Ireland "High King of Ireland"); [Killashee, County Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killashee,_County_Kildare "Killashee, County Kildare"), close to [Naas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naas "Naas") with links with the [kings of Leinster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kings_of_Leinster "List of kings of Leinster"), is probably named for Auxilius. This activity was limited to the southern half of Ireland, and there is no evidence for them in [Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster "Ulster") or [Connacht](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connacht "Connacht").[\[106\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-107)
Although the evidence for contacts with [Gaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaul "Gaul") is clear, the borrowings from [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin "Latin") into [Old Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irish "Old Irish") show that links with [Roman Britain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Britain "Roman Britain") were many.[\[107\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-108) Iserninus, who appears to be of the generation of Palladius, is thought to have been a [Briton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Britons "Celtic Britons"), and is associated with the lands of the [Uí Ceinnselaig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U%C3%AD_Ceinnselaig "Uí Ceinnselaig") in Leinster. The Palladian mission should not be contrasted with later "British" missions, but forms a part of them;[\[108\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-109) nor can the work of Palladius be uncritically equated with that of Saint Patrick, as was once traditional.[\[102\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-O'Rahilly_1942-103)
### Abduction reinterpreted
According to Patrick's own account, it was Irish raiders who brought him to Ireland where he was enslaved and held captive for six years.[\[109\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-110) However, a recent alternative interpretation by Roy Flechner of Patrick's departure to Ireland suggests that, as the son of a [decurion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decurion_\(administrative\) "Decurion (administrative)"), he would have been obliged by Roman law to serve on the town council ([curia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curia "Curia")), but chose instead to abscond from the onerous obligations of this office by fleeing abroad, as many others in his position had done in what has become known as the 'flight of the [curiales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiales "Curiales")'.[\[110\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-111) Flechner also asserts the improbability of an escape from servitude and a journey of the kind that Patrick purports to have undertaken. He also interprets the biblical allusions in Patrick's account (e.g. the theme of freedom after six years of servitude in Exod. 21:2 or Jer. 34:14), as implying parts of the account may not have been intended to be understood literally.[\[111\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-112)
## Sainthood and veneration
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Icon_of_Saint_Patrick,_Christ_the_Saviour_Church.jpg)
[Icon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon "Icon") of Saint Patrick from Christ the Savior [Russian Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church "Russian Orthodox Church"), [Wayne, West Virginia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne,_West_Virginia "Wayne, West Virginia")
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Armagh_St._Patrick%27s_Cathedral_of_the_Church_of_Ireland_East_Window_Detail_Saint_Patrick_2019_09_09.jpg)
Stained glass window of Saint Patrick from the Protestant [Church of Ireland cathedral in Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Cathedral,_Armagh_\(Church_of_Ireland\) "St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland)")
Writing on the [Easter controversy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_controversy "Easter controversy") in 632 or 633, Cummian—it is uncertain whether this is [Cumméne Fota](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumm%C3%A9ne_Fota "Cumméne Fota") or [Cumméne Find](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumm%C3%A9ne_Find "Cumméne Find")—refers to Patrick as "our papa", that is, father or [primate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primate_\(bishop\) "Primate (bishop)").[\[112\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-113)
17 March, popularly known as [Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day"), is believed to be his death date and is the date celebrated as his [Feast Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_Day "Feast Day").[\[113\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-114) The day became a feast day in the Catholic Church due to the influence of the [Waterford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterford "Waterford")\-born [Franciscan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscan "Franciscan") scholar [Luke Wadding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Wadding "Luke Wadding"), as a member of the commission for the reform of the [Breviary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breviary "Breviary") in the early part of the 17th century.[\[114\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-115)
For most of Christianity's first thousand years, canonisations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after the death of people considered very holy, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints. As a result, Patrick has never been formally [canonised](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonisation "Canonisation") by a pope (common before [10th century](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_10th_century "Christianity in the 10th century")); nevertheless, various Christian churches declare that he is a saint in Heaven (see [List of Saints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Saints "List of Saints")). He is still widely venerated in Ireland and elsewhere today.[\[115\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-116)
Patrick is also honoured with a [feast day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_day "Feast day") on the [liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints_\(Episcopal_Church_in_the_United_States_of_America\) "Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America)") and with a commemoration on the [calendar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints_\(Lutheran\) "Calendar of saints (Lutheran)") of [Evangelical Lutheran Worship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical_Lutheran_Worship "Evangelical Lutheran Worship"), both on 17 March. Patrick is also [venerated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneration "Veneration") in the [Eastern Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church "Eastern Orthodox Church") as a pre-Schism Western saint, especially among Orthodox Christians living in Ireland and the [Anglosphere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglosphere "Anglosphere");[\[116\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-117) as is usual with saints, there are Orthodox [icons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon "Icon") dedicated to him.[\[117\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-118)
Saint Patrick remains a recurring figure in [Folk Christianity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_Christianity "Folk Christianity") and Irish folktales.[\[118\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-119)
Patrick is said to be buried at [Down Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_Cathedral "Down Cathedral") in [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick"), County Down, alongside [Saint Brigid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Brigid "Saint Brigid") and [Saint Columba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Columba "Saint Columba"), although this has never been proven. [Saint Patrick Visitor Centre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick_Visitor_Centre "Saint Patrick Visitor Centre") is a modern exhibition complex located in Downpatrick and is a permanent interpretative exhibition centre featuring interactive displays on the life and story of Patrick. It provides the only permanent exhibition centre in the world devoted to Patrick.[\[119\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-120)
Patrick is [remembered](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints_\(Church_of_England\) "Calendar of saints (Church of England)") in the [Church of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_England "Church of England") with a [Lesser Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Festival_\(Anglicanism\) "Lesser Festival (Anglicanism)") on [17 March](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_17 "March 17").[\[120\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-121)
On 9 March 2017, his name was added to the [Russian Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church "Russian Orthodox Church") calendar by the [Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Synod_of_the_Russian_Orthodox_Church "Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church").[\[121\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-122)[\[122\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-123)
### *Saint Patrick's Breastplate*
Main article: [Saint Patrick's Breastplate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Breastplate "Saint Patrick's Breastplate")
Saint Patrick's Breastplate is a *[lorica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorica_\(prayer\) "Lorica (prayer)")*, or hymn, which is attributed to Patrick during his Irish ministry in the 5th century.
### Saint Patrick's crosses
Main article: [List of Saint Patrick's crosses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Saint_Patrick%27s_crosses "List of Saint Patrick's crosses")
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Goleen_Church_of_Our_Lady,_Star_of_the_Sea,_and_St._Patrick_North_Wall_Fourth_Window_Saint_Patrick_Detail_2009_09_10.jpg)
Patrick showing cross pattée on his robes
There are two main types of crosses associated with Patrick, the [cross pattée](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_patt%C3%A9e "Cross pattée") and the [Saltire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_Saltire "Cross Saltire"). The cross pattée is the more traditional association, while the association with the saltire dates from 1783 and the Order of St. Patrick.
The cross pattée has long been associated with Patrick, for reasons that are uncertain. One possible reason is that bishops' mitres in [Ecclesiastical heraldry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastical_heraldry "Ecclesiastical heraldry") often appear surmounted by a cross pattée.[\[123\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-124)[\[124\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-125) An example of this can be seen on the old crest of the [Brothers of St. Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrician_Brothers "Patrician Brothers").[\[125\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-126) As Patrick was the founding bishop of the Irish church, the symbol may have become associated with him. Patrick is traditionally portrayed in the vestments of a bishop, and his mitre and garments are often decorated with a cross pattée.[\[126\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-127)[\[127\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-128)[\[128\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-129)[\[129\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-130)[\[130\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-131)
The cross pattée retains its link to Patrick to the present day. For example, it appears on the coat of arms of both the [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Armagh "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh")[\[131\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-132) and the [Church of Ireland Archdiocese of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archdiocese_of_Armagh_\(Church_of_Ireland\) "Archdiocese of Armagh (Church of Ireland)").[\[132\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-133) This is on account of Patrick being regarded as the first bishop of the Diocese of Armagh. It is also used by [Down District Council](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_District_Council "Down District Council") which has its headquarters in [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick"), the reputed burial place of Patrick.
[Saint Patrick's Saltire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Saltire "Saint Patrick's Saltire") is a red [saltire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltire "Saltire") on a white field. It is used in the insignia of the [Order of Saint Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Saint_Patrick "Order of Saint Patrick"), established in 1783, and after the [Acts of Union 1800](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1800 "Acts of Union 1800") it was combined with the [Saint George's Cross of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_England "Flag of England") and the [Saint Andrew's Cross of Scotland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Scotland "Flag of Scotland") to form the [Union Flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Flag "Union Flag") of the [United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland"). A saltire was intermittently used as a symbol of Ireland from the seventeenth century but without reference to Patrick.
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Traditional-irish-stipatricksidayibadges.jpg)
Traditional Saint Patrick's Day badges from the early twentieth century, from the [Museum of Country Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Country_Life "Museum of Country Life"), Castlebar
It was formerly a common custom to wear a cross made of paper or ribbon on [St Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Day "St Patrick's Day"). Surviving examples of such badges come in many colours[\[133\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-hm40-134) and they were worn upright rather than as saltires.[\[134\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-morley-135)
Thomas Dinely, an English traveller in Ireland in 1681, remarked that "the Irish of all stations and condicõns were crosses in their hatts, some of pins, some of green ribbon."[\[135\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-136) [Jonathan Swift](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Swift "Jonathan Swift"), writing to "[Stella](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Johnson "Esther Johnson")" of Saint Patrick's Day 1713, said "[the Mall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mall,_London "The Mall, London") was so full of crosses that I thought all the world was Irish".[\[136\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-137) In the 1740s, the badges pinned were multicoloured interlaced fabric.[\[137\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-badges-138) In the 1820s, they were only worn by children, with simple multicoloured daisy patterns.[\[137\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-badges-138)[\[138\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-139) In the 1890s, they were almost extinct, and a simple green [Greek cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_cross "Greek cross") inscribed in a circle of paper (similar to the Ballina crest pictured).[\[139\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-140) *[The Irish Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irish_Times "The Irish Times")* in 1935 reported they were still sold in poorer parts of Dublin, but fewer than those of previous years "some in velvet or embroidered silk or poplin, with the gold paper cross entwined with shamrocks and ribbons".[\[140\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-141)
### Saint Patrick's Bell
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bell_of_Saint_Patrick_Shrine_MET_tem07651s1.jpg)
The Shrine of Saint Patrick's Bell
The [National Museum of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Ireland "National Museum of Ireland") in Dublin possesses a bell (**Clog Phádraig**)[\[141\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-142)[\[143\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-144) first mentioned, according to the *[Annals of Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_Ulster "Annals of Ulster")*, in the *Book of Cuanu* in the year 552. The bell was part of a collection of "relics of Patrick" removed from his tomb sixty years after his death by [Colum Cille](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colum_Cille "Colum Cille") to be used as relics. The bell is described as "The Bell of the Testament", one of three relics of "precious minna" (extremely valuable items), of which the other two are described as Patrick's goblet and "The Angels Gospel". Colum Cille is described to have been under the direction of an "Angel" for whom he sent the goblet to [Down](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Down "County Down"), the bell to [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh"), and kept possession of the Angel's Gospel for himself. The name Angels Gospel is given to the book because it was supposed that Colum Cille received it from the angel's hand. A stir was caused in 1044 when two kings, in some dispute over the bell, went on spates of prisoner taking and cattle theft. The annals make one more apparent reference to the bell when chronicling a death, of 1356: "Solomon Ua Mellain, The Keeper of The Bell of the Testament, protector, rested in Christ."
The bell was encased in a "bell shrine", a distinctive Irish type of [reliquary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliquary "Reliquary") made for it, as an inscription records, by King [Domnall Ua Lochlainn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domnall_Ua_Lochlainn "Domnall Ua Lochlainn") sometime between 1091 and 1105. The shrine is an important example of the final, Viking-influenced, style of Irish [Celtic art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_art "Celtic art"), with intricate [Urnes style](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urnes_style "Urnes style") decoration in gold and silver. The Gaelic inscription on the shrine also records the name of the maker "U INMAINEN" (which translates to "Noonan"), "who with his sons enriched/decorated it"; metalwork was often inscribed for remembrance.
The bell itself is simple in design, hammered into shape with a small handle fixed to the top with rivets. Originally forged from iron, it has since been coated in bronze. The shrine is inscribed with three names, including King Domnall Ua Lochlainn's. The rear of the shrine, not intended to be seen, is decorated with crosses while the handle is decorated with, among other works, Celtic designs of birds. The bell is accredited with working a miracle in 1044,\[*[further explanation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify "Wikipedia:Please clarify")*\] and having been coated in bronze to shield it from human eyes, for which it would be too holy. It measures 12.5 × 10 cm at the base, 12.8 × 4 cm at the shoulder, 16.5 cm from base to shoulder, 3.3 cm from shoulder to top of the handle and weighs 1.7 kg.[\[144\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-145)
### Saint Patrick and Irish identity
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%22Erin_Go_Braugh._St._Patrick%27s_Greetings.%22.jpg)
A 1909 St Patrick's Day postcard with the Irish slogan "[Erin go bragh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_go_bragh "Erin go bragh")" (Ireland Forever)
Patrick features in many stories in the Irish oral tradition and there are many customs connected with his feast day. The folklorist Jenny Butler discusses how these traditions have been given new layers of meaning over time while also becoming tied to Irish identity both in Ireland and abroad. The symbolic resonance of the Saint Patrick figure is complex and multifaceted, stretching from that of Christianity's arrival in Ireland to an identity that encompasses everything Irish. In some portrayals, the saint is symbolically synonymous with the Christian religion itself. There is also evidence of a combination of indigenous religious traditions with that of Christianity, which places St Patrick in the wider framework of [cultural hybridity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_hybridity "Cultural hybridity"). Popular religious expression has this characteristic feature of merging elements of culture. Later in time, the saint became associated specifically with Catholic Ireland and synonymously with Irish national identity. Subsequently, Saint Patrick is a patriotic symbol along with the colour green and the shamrock. Saint Patrick's Day celebrations include many traditions that are known to be relatively recent historically but have endured through time because of their association either with religious or national identity. They have persisted in such a way that they have become stalwart traditions, viewed as the strongest "Irish traditions".[\[145\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-146)
## Places associated with Saint Patrick
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Slemish_\(8\)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_834986.jpg)
[Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish"), County Antrim, traditionally associated with Saint Patrick's time as a shepherd slave
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Slieve_Patrick,_August_2009.JPG)
Saint Patrick's statue at Saul, County Down
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Croagh_Patrick_-_geograph.org.uk_-_186660.jpg)
Saint Patrick's Oratory at the top of [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick"), County Mayo
- [Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish"), County Antrim and [Killala Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killala_Bay "Killala Bay"), County Mayo: When captured by raiders, there are two theories as to where Patrick was enslaved. One theory is that he herded sheep in the countryside around Slemish. Another theory is that Patrick herded sheep near Killala Bay, at a place called Fochill.
- [Saul Monastery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Monastery "Saul Monastery") (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Sabhall Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's barn'):[\[146\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-147) It is claimed that Patrick founded his first church in a barn at Saul, which was donated to him by a local chieftain called [Dichu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dichu "Saint Dichu"). It is also claimed that Patrick died at Saul or was brought there between his death and burial. Nearby, on the crest of Slieve Patrick, is a huge statue of Patrick with bronze panels showing scenes from his life.
- [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick"), County Mayo (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Cruach Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's stack'):[\[147\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-148) It is claimed that Patrick climbed this mountain and fasted on its summit for the forty days of [Lent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent "Lent"). Croagh Patrick draws thousands of pilgrims who make the trek to the top on the last Sunday in July.
- [Lough Derg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lough_Derg_\(Ulster\) "Lough Derg (Ulster)"), County Donegal (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Loch Dearg*, meaning 'red lake'):[\[148\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-149) It is claimed that Patrick killed a large serpent on this lake and that its blood turned the water red (hence the name). Each August, pilgrims spend three days fasting and praying there on Station Island. Located on the island is [St Patrick's Purgatory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Purgatory "St Patrick's Purgatory") which has been considered as the entrance to Purgatory since the Middle Ages.[\[149\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-150)
- [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh"): It is claimed that Patrick founded a church here and proclaimed it to be the most holy church in Ireland. Armagh is today the primary seat of both the Catholic Church in Ireland and the Church of Ireland, and both cathedrals in the town are named after Patrick.
- [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick"), County Down (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Dún Pádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's stronghold'):[\[150\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-151)\[*[failed verification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability "Wikipedia:Verifiability")*\] It is claimed that Patrick was brought here after his death and buried in the grounds of Down Cathedral.
- [Glastonbury Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Abbey "Glastonbury Abbey"), England: It is claimed that he was buried within the Abbey grounds next to the high altar, which has led to many believing this is why Glastonbury was popular among Irish pilgrims. It is also believed that he was 'the founder and the first Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey.'[\[151\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-auto-152) This was recorded by [William of Malmesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_of_Malmesbury "William of Malmesbury") in his document "De antiquitate Glastoniensis ecclesiae (Concerning the Antiquity of Glastonbury)" that was compiled between 1129 and 1135, where it was noted that "After converting the Irish and establishing them solidly in the Catholic faith he returned to his native land, and was led by guidance from on high to Glastonbury. There he came upon certain holy men living the life of hermits. Finding themselves all of one mind with Patrick they decided to form a community and elected him as their superior. Later, two of their members resided on the Tor to serve its Chapel."[\[152\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-153) Within the grounds of the Abbey lies [St. Patrick's Chapel, Glastonbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick%27s_Chapel,_Glastonbury "St. Patrick's Chapel, Glastonbury") which is a site of pilgrimage. The well-known Irish Scholar [James Carney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Carney_\(scholar\) "James Carney (scholar)") also elaborated on this claim and wrote "it is possible that Patrick, tired and ill at the end of his arduous mission felt released from his vow not to leave Ireland, and returned to the monastery from which he had come, which might have been Glastonbury".[\[153\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-154) It is also another possible burial site of the saint, where it is documented he has been "interred in the Old Wattle Church".[\[151\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-auto-152)
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St._Patrick%27s_Well.jpg)
Stone found below St. Patrick's Well. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland.
Other places named after Saint Patrick include:
- Patrickswell Lane, a well in [Drogheda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drogheda "Drogheda") Town where St. Patrick opened a monastery and baptised the townspeople.
- [Ardpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardpatrick,_County_Limerick "Ardpatrick, County Limerick"), County Limerick (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Ard Pádraig*, meaning 'high place of Patrick')[\[154\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-155)\[*[failed verification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability "Wikipedia:Verifiability")*\]
- Patrick Water (Old Patrick Water), [Elderslie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elderslie,_Scotland "Elderslie, Scotland"), Renfrewshire. from Scots' Gaelic "AlltPadraig" meaning Patrick's Burn[\[155\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-156)[\[156\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-157)[\[157\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-158)[\[158\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-159)
- [Patrickswell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrickswell "Patrickswell") or Toberpatrick, County Limerick (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Tobar Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's well')[\[159\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-160)
- St Patrick's Well, [Patterdale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterdale "Patterdale")[\[160\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-161)
- Three churches in the Diocese of Carlisle[\[161\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-162) are dedicated to St Patrick, they are all within the historic county of [Westmorland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westmorland "Westmorland"): St Patrick's [Patterdale](https://www.patterdalepast.co.uk/church/), at the head of [Ullswater](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullswater "Ullswater") (the present church was built in the 19th Century but the chapel in Patricksdale is mentioned in a charter of 1348[\[162\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-163)); St Patrick's Bampton, near [Shap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shap "Shap");[\[163\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-164) [St Patrick's Church, Preston Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Church,_Preston_Patrick "St Patrick's Church, Preston Patrick") near [Kirkby Lonsdale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkby_Lonsdale "Kirkby Lonsdale").[\[164\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-165)
- [St Patrick's Chapel, Heysham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Chapel,_Heysham "St Patrick's Chapel, Heysham"), a ruined chapel near [St Peter's Church, Heysham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Peter%27s_Church,_Heysham "St Peter's Church, Heysham"), Lancashire. The chapel dates from the 8th Century.
- [St Patrick's Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Island "St Patrick's Island"), County Dublin
- [Old Kilpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Kilpatrick "Old Kilpatrick"), near [Dumbarton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton "Dumbarton"), Scotland from "Cill Phàdraig," Patrick's Church, a claimant to his birthplace
- [St Patrick's Isle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Isle "St Patrick's Isle"), off the [Isle of Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man "Isle of Man")
- [St. Patricks, Newfoundland and Labrador](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patricks,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador "St. Patricks, Newfoundland and Labrador"), a community in the [Baie Verte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baie_Verte,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador "Baie Verte, Newfoundland and Labrador") district of [Newfoundland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_\(island\) "Newfoundland (island)")
- [Llanbadrig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanbadrig "Llanbadrig") (church), [Ynys Badrig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ynys_Badrig "Ynys Badrig") (island), Porth Padrig (cove), Llyn Padrig (lake), and Rhosbadrig (heath) on the island of [Anglesey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglesey "Anglesey") in [Wales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales "Wales")
- [Templepatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Templepatrick "Templepatrick"), County Antrim (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Teampall Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's church')[\[165\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-166)
- St Patrick's Hill, Liverpool, on old maps of the town near to the former location of "St Patrick's Cross"[\[166\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-167)
- [Parroquia San Patricio y Espiritu Santo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parroquia_del_Esp%C3%ADritu_Santo_y_San_Patricio "Parroquia del Espíritu Santo y San Patricio"), Loiza, Puerto Rico. The site was initially mentioned in 1645 as a chapel. The actual building was completed by 1729, is one of the oldest churches in the Americas and today represents the faith of many Irish immigrants that settled in Loiza by the end of the 18th century. Today it is a museum.
## In Art
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jeanne_de_Montbaston,_Saint_Patrick_Preaching_\(c._1325-1350\).jpg "Jeanne de Montbaston, Saint Patrick Preaching (c. 1325-1350)")
[Jeanne de Montbaston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_and_Richard_Montbaston "Jeanne and Richard Montbaston"), Saint Patrick Preaching (c. 1325-1350)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_de_Montbaston,_Saint_Patrick_and_the_King_\(1348\).jpg "Richard de Montbaston, Saint Patrick and the King (1348)")
[Richard de Montbaston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_and_Richard_Montbaston "Jeanne and Richard Montbaston"), Saint Patrick and the King (1348)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Messingham,_Florilegum_Insulae_Sanctorum_\(1624\).png "Thomas Messingham, Florilegum Insulae Sanctorum (1624)")
[Thomas Messingham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Messingham "Thomas Messingham"), Florilegum Insulae Sanctorum (1624)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St._Patrick,_Bishop_of_Ireland_Met_DP890884.jpg "Jacques Callot, St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland (1636)")
[Jacques Callot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Callot "Jacques Callot"), St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland (1636)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Harry_Clarke,_Saint_Patrick_\(detail\)_\(1925\).jpg "Harry Clarke, Saint Patrick (detail) (1925)")
[Harry Clarke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Clarke "Harry Clarke"), Saint Patrick (detail) (1925)
## In literature
- [Pedro Calderón de la Barca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Calder%C3%B3n_de_la_Barca "Pedro Calderón de la Barca") wrote *El Purgatorio de San Patricio* in 1634.[\[167\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-PLT-168)
- [Robert Southey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Southey "Robert Southey") wrote a [ballad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballad "Ballad") called "Saint Patrick's Purgatory", first published in 1798, based on popular legends surrounding the saint's name.[\[167\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-PLT-168)
- Patrick is mentioned in a 17th-century ballad about "[Saint George and the Dragon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_and_the_Dragon_\(ballad\) "St. George and the Dragon (ballad)")"
- [Stephen R. Lawhead](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_R._Lawhead "Stephen R. Lawhead") wrote the fictional *Patrick: Son of Ireland* loosely based on the saint's life, including imagined accounts of training as a druid and service in the Roman army before his conversion.[\[168\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-169)
## In film
- *[St. Patrick: The Irish Legend](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick:_The_Irish_Legend "St. Patrick: The Irish Legend")* is a 2000 television historical drama film about the saint's life. Patrick is portrayed by [Patrick Bergin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Bergin "Patrick Bergin").
- *I am Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland* is a 2020 film based on Patrick's own writings and the earliest traditions. Patrick is portrayed by Seán Ó Meallaigh, with Robert McCormack playing him when he is younger and [John Rhys-Davies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rhys-Davies "John Rhys-Davies") in later life.
## See also
- [Saint Mun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Mun "Saint Mun")
- [Saint Patrick, patron saint archive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Catholic_Church/Patron_Archive/March_17 "Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/March 17")
- [Saint Patrick's Breastplate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Breastplate "Saint Patrick's Breastplate")
- [Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day")
- [Saint Patrick's saltire, cross and flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Saltire "Saint Patrick's Saltire")
- [St Patrick halfpenny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick_halfpenny "St Patrick halfpenny")
- [St Patrick's blue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_blue "St Patrick's blue")
- [St Patrick's Purgatory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Purgatory "St Patrick's Purgatory")
- [St Patrick's Rock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Rock "St Patrick's Rock")
## Notes
1. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-2)**
- [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language "Latin language"): *Pātricius*
- [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language"): *Pádraig*,
Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish") or [\[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish")
- [Welsh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_language "Welsh language"): *Padrig*,
Welsh pronunciation: [\[ˈpadrɪɡ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Welsh "Help:IPA/Welsh")
## References
1. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-saint_index_1-0)**
["Saints by Cause"](http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/patrons.asp). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060810020809/http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/patrons.asp) from the original on 10 August 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2006.
2. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-3)**
Zackowitz, Maggie (17 March 2016). ["How St. Patrick became the patron saint of Nigeria"](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/03/17/470679579/how-did-st-patrick-get-to-be-the-patron-saint-of-nigeria). *NPR*. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
3. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-4)**
["Who Was St. Patrick?"](https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick). *[History.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History.com "History.com")*. 16 October 2023.
4. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-RitschelMichallon2022_5-0)**
Ritschel, Chelsea; Michallon, Clémence (17 March 2022). ["What is the meaning behind St Patrick's Day?"](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/st-patricks-day-ireland-history-b2037858.html). *[The Independent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Independent "The Independent")*. Retrieved 17 March 2022. "The day of celebration, which marks the day of St Patrick's death, is a religious holiday meant to celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and made official by the Catholic Church in the early 17th century. Observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church, the day was typically observed with services, feasts and alcohol."
5. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-6)**
["Who was Saint Patrick and why does he have a day?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210305195337/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/saint-patricks-day). *[National Geographic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Geographic "National Geographic")*. 1 February 2019. Archived from [the original](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/saint-patricks-day) on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
6. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-7)**
MacAnnaidh, S. (2013). *Irish History*. Parragon Books Ltd.
[ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-4723-2723-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4723-2723-9 "Special:BookSources/978-1-4723-2723-9")
7. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-8)**
Both texts in original Latin, various translations and with images of all extant manuscript testimonies on the
["Saint Patrick's Confessio HyperStack website"](http://www.confessio.ie/). Royal Irish Academy Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200923221034/https://confessio.ie/) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
8. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-9)**
Macthéni, Muirchú maccu; White, Newport John Davis (1920). [*St. Patrick, his writings and life*](https://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA31). New York: The Macmillan Company. pp. 31–51, 54–60\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130530041229/http://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA31) from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
9. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-10)**
["Saints' Lives"](http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/sbook3.asp#int). *Internet Medieval Sources*. Fordham University. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170707174716/http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/sbook3.asp#int) from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
\[*[page needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources "Wikipedia:Citing sources")*\]
10. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Dumville90_11-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Dumville90_11-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Dumville90_11-2) [Dumville 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDumville1993), p. 90
11. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-EMN_12-0)** Eoin Mac Neill, *St. Patrick*, Clonmore and Reynolds, 1964, pp. 87–88
12. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-13)** Anthony Harvey, "The Significance of *Cothraige*", *[Ériu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89riu_\(journal\) "Ériu (journal)")* Vol. 36, 1985, pp. 1–9
13. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-14)**
["Muirchú's Life of Patrick"](https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T201045.html). *celt.ucc.ie*. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
14. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-15)** [Dumville 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDumville1993), p. 16
15. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-16)** See [Flechner 2011](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2011), pp. 125–26
16. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26_17-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26_17-1) [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), p. 26
17. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-18)** [Stancliffe 2004](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFStancliffe2004)
18. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Byrne78%E2%80%9379_19-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Byrne78%E2%80%9379_19-1) [Byrne 1973](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFByrne1973), pp. 78–79
19. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Henny_20-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Henny_20-1) [Hennessy, W. M.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Maunsell_Hennessy "William Maunsell Hennessy") (trans.) *[Annals of Ulster; otherwise, Annals of Senat](https://archive.org/stream/annalauladhannal01magu#page/4/mode/2up)*, Vol. I. Alexander Thom & Co. (Dublin), 1887.
20. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-21)** Dumville, pp. 116–; [Wood 2001](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFWood2001), p. 45 n.5
21. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Paor121-122_22-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Paor121-122_22-1) [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 121–22
22. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-23)** [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), p. 27
23. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Byrne80_24-0)** [Byrne 1973](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFByrne1973), p. 80
24. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-25)**
Thompson, E.A. (1999). *Who Was Saint Patrick?*. The Boydell Press. pp. 166–75\.
25. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-26)**
Roy Flechner (2019). [*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ). Princeton University Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0691190013](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0691190013 "Special:BookSources/978-0691190013")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611033943/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
26. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-27)**
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. p. 308.
27. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-28)**
Turner, J. H. (1890). ["An Inquiry as to the Birthplace of St. Patrick. By J.H. Turner, M.A. p. 268. Read before the Society, 8 January 1872. Archaeologia Scotica pp. 261–84. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Volume 5, 1890"](http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/arch-scot/article/view/320/318). *Archaeologia Scotica*. **5**: 261–84\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611011901/http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/arch-scot/article/view/320/318) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
28. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:1_29-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:1_29-1)
[Schama, Simon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Schama "Simon Schama") (2003). [*A History of Britain 1: 3000 BC–AD 1603 At the Edge of the World?*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_History_of_Britain_\(TV_series\)#DVDs_and_books "A History of Britain (TV series)") (Paperback 2003 ed.). London: [BBC Worldwide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Worldwide "BBC Worldwide"). p. 47. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-563-48714-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-563-48714-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-563-48714-2")
.
29. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-30)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), pp. 31–32
30. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:2_31-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:2_31-1) [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 339–43 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
31. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-32)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), pp. 31–32
32. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-33)**
MacNeill, Eoin (1926). ["The Native Place of St. Patrick"](https://archive.org/details/papersirishacad00macnuoft). *Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy*. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis: 118–40. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
noting that the western coasts of southern Scotland and northern England held little to interest a raider seeking quick access to booty and numerous slaves, while the southern coast of Wales offered both. In addition, the region was home to [Uí Liatháin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U%C3%AD_Liath%C3%A1in "Uí Liatháin") and possibly also [Déisi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9isi "Déisi") settlers during this time, so Irish raiders would have had the contacts to tell them precisely where to go to quickly obtain booty and capture slaves. MacNeill also suggests a possible home town in Wales based on naming similarities but allows that the transcription errors in manuscripts make this little more than an educated guess.
33. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-34)**
[Cadw](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadw "Cadw"). ["Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort (GM343)"](https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/sam/FullReport?lang=en&id=1011). *National Historic Assets of Wales*. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
34. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-35)**
Dumville, David (1999). *Saint Patrick*. Boydell Press. p. 22.
35. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-36)**
["Saint Patrick was 'Somerset man', study finds"](https://historyfirst.com/saint-patrick-was-somerset-man-study-finds/). *[History First](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_First&action=edit&redlink=1 "History First (page does not exist)")*. 25 June 2023.
36. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Avonmouth_37-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Avonmouth_37-1)
Ranelagh, John (1994). *A Short History of Ireland*. Cambridge University Press. p. 22.
37. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-38)**
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. p. 311.
38. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-39)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 88, 96; [Bury 1905](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFBury1905), p. 17
39. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-40)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), pp. 31–32
40. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-MoranCite_41-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-MoranCite_41-1)
Moran, Patrick Francis (1913). ["St. Patrick"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/St._Patrick) . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
41. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-ccel.org_42-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-ccel.org_42-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-ccel.org_42-2)
["Confession of St Patrick"](http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession/confession.html). *Christian Classics Ethereal Library*. 7 April 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140222170612/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession/confession.html) from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
42. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-2) [***d***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-3) [***e***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-4) [***f***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-5)
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. pp. 320–325\.
43. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-44)**
["Confession of St. Patrick, Part 17"](http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.v.html). *Christian Classics Ethereal Library*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100323033408/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.v.html) from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
44. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-45)**
Bieler, Ludwig. ["The Problem of 'Silua Focluti'"](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/irish-historical-studies/article/abs/the-problem-of-silua-focluti/7AE5977DDE65763412B9A8071B3AAEE6). Cambridge University Press.
45. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-2) [***d***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-3) [***e***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-4)
Rankin, J. Fred (1997). *Down Cathedral The Church of Saint Patrick of Down*. Ulster Historical Foundation. pp. 6–9\.
46. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-47)**
["Confession \#19"](http://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english#19). *St Patrick's Confessio*. Royal Irish Academy. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160319043407/http://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english#19) from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
47. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:0_48-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:0_48-1)
Ramirez, Janina (2016). [*The Private Lives of the Saints: Power, Passion and Politics in Anglo-Saxon England*](https://books.google.com/books?id=CzW0DAAAQBAJ). Ebury Publishing. p. 89. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7535-5561-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7535-5561-3 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7535-5561-3")
.
48. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-49)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 99–100; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), p. 229; Confessio; 17–19
49. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-50)** [Bury, J.B., "Sources of the Early Patrician Documents", *The English Historical Review*, (Mandell Creighton et al, eds.), Longman., July 1904, p. 499](https://books.google.com/books?id=EBspAAAAYAAJ&dq=amator+of+auxerre&pg=PA497)
50. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-51)**
Bridgwater, William; Kurtz, Seymour, eds. (1963). "Saint Patrick". *The Columbia Encyclopedia* (3rd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 1611–12\.
51. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Moran_52-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Moran_52-1)
 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain "Public domain"):
Moran, Patrick Francis (1913). "[St. Patrick](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/St._Patrick "s:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/St. Patrick")". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
52. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-53)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), p. 100 Paor glosses Foclut as "west of [Killala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killala "Killala") Bay, in [County Mayo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Mayo "County Mayo")", but it appears that the location of Fochoill (Foclut or Voclut) is still a matter of debate. See [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), p. 215; Confessio; 17
53. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-54)** [Hood 1978](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFHood1978), p. 4
54. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-55)** [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), p. 51 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
55. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-56)**
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. pp. 332–335\.
56. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Bury81_57-0)** [Bury 1905](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFBury1905), p. 81
57. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-58)**
Dumville, David (1999). *Saint Patrick*. Boydell Press. p. 183-185.
58. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-59)**
Charles-Edwards, Thomas (2012). ["St Patrick and the Landscape of Early Christian Ireland"](https://www.asnc.cam.ac.uk/publications/Hughes/KH%20Vol%2010%202012%20Charles-Edwards.pdf) (PDF). University of Cambridge. pp. 17–21\.
59. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-60)**
["Confession of St. Patrick, Part 50"](http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.x.html). *Christian Classics Ethereal Library*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100323032748/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.x.html) from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
60. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-61)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 219–25; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 337–41 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors")); [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 104–07
61. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-62)**
["Confession \| St. Patrick's Confessio"](https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english). *www.confessio.ie*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210628134106/https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english) from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
62. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-63)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), p. 107; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 221–22
63. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-64)** Confessio; 21
64. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-65)**
["Letter To Coroticus, by Saint St. Patrick"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100322200755/http://www.yale.edu/glc/archive/1166.htm). Gilder Lehrman Center at Yale University. Archived from [the original](http://www.yale.edu/glc/archive/1166.htm) on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
65. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-66)**
Todd, James (1864). ["The Epistle on Coroticus"](https://books.google.com/books?id=um44AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA383). *St. Patrick: Apostle of Ireland: a Memoir of His Life and Mission, with an Introductory Dissertation on Some Early Usages of the Church in Ireland, and Its Historical Position from the Establishment of the English Colony to the Present Day*. Dublin: Hodges, Smith, & Co. pp. 383–85\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160501190103/https://books.google.com/books?id=um44AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA383) from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
66. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-2) [***d***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-3) [***e***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-4) [***f***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-5)
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. pp. 339–344\.
67. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_denfensio_68-0)** Cite error: The named reference `Thomas denfensio` was invoked but never defined (see the [help page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cite_errors/Cite_error_references_no_text "Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text")).
68. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-69)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 109–13; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 226–30
69. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-70)** [Thompson 1980](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThompson1980)
70. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-71)** [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 337–41 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors")); [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 104–07; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 217–19
71. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-72)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), p. 55
72. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-73)**
Both texts in original Latin and English translations and images of the Book of Armagh manuscript copy on the
["Saint Patrick's Confessio HyperStack website"](http://www.confessio.ie/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200923221034/https://confessio.ie/) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
73. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-74)** Aideen O'Leary, "An Irish Apocryphal Apostle: Muirchú's Portrayal of Saint Patrick" *The Harvard Theological Review* **89**.3 (July 1996), pp. 287–301, traces Muichù's sources and his explicit parallels of Patrick with [Moses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses "Moses"), the bringer of *rechte Litre*, the "letter of the Law"; the adversary, King [Lóegaire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3egaire_mac_N%C3%A9ill "Lóegaire mac Néill"), takes the role of Pharaoh.
74. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-75)** *Annals of Ulster*, AU 657.1: "Obitus... Ultán moccu Conchobair."
75. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-76)** Their works are found in Paor, pp. 154–74 & 175–97 respectively.
76. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-77)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 224–26
77. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-78)** [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), pp. 30–33. [Ramsay MacMullen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsay_MacMullen "Ramsay MacMullen")'s *Christianizing the Roman Empire* (Yale University Press, 1984) examines the better-recorded mechanics of conversion in the Empire, and forms the basis of Ó Cróinín's conclusions.
78. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-79)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 416–17 & 429–40
79. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-80)** This is presumed to refer to Patrick's [tonsure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsure "Tonsure").
80. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-81)** After [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), p. 32; [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), p. 180 See also [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), pp. 30–33
81. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-82)** The relevant annals are reprinted in [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 117–30
82. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-83)** Paor's conclusions at p. 135, the document itself is given at pp. 135–38.
83. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-84)** [St. Patrick's Day Facts: Snakes, a Slave, and a Saint](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090316-st-patricks-day-facts.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110629003537/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090316-st-patricks-day-facts.html) 29 June 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") *National Geographic* Retrieved 10 February 2011
84. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFlechner2019221_85-0)** [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), p. 221.
85. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-86)** Threlkeld, Caleb *Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum alphabetice dispositarum, sive, Commentatio de plantis indigenis præsertim Dublinensibus instituta. With An appendix of observations made upon plants, by Dr. Molyneux*, 1726, cited in "shamrock, n.", *The Oxford English Dictionary*, 2nd ed. 1989
86. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Monaghan2009_87-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Monaghan2009_87-1)
Monaghan, Patricia (2009). *The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore*. Infobase Publishing. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1438110370](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1438110370 "Special:BookSources/978-1438110370")
.
87. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Hegarty2012_88-0)**
Hegarty, Neil (2012). *Story of Ireland*. Ebury Publishing. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1448140398](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1448140398 "Special:BookSources/978-1448140398")
.
88. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Santino1995_89-0)**
Santino, Jack (1995). [*All Around the Year: Holidays and Celebrations in American Life*](https://archive.org/details/allaroundyear00jack/page/80). University of Illinois Press. p. [80](https://archive.org/details/allaroundyear00jack/page/80). [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0252065163](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0252065163 "Special:BookSources/978-0252065163")
.
89. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-90)**
Homan, Roger (2006). *The Art of the Sublime: Principles of Christian Art and Architecture*. Ashgate Publishing. p. 37.
90. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-91)**
Roy Flechner (2019). [*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP213). [Princeton University Press](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University_Press "Princeton University Press"). p. 213. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-691-19001-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-691-19001-3 "Special:BookSources/978-0-691-19001-3")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611044123/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP213) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
91. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-92)** Robinson, William Erigena. New Haven Hibernian Provident Society. *St. Patrick and the Irish: an oration, before the Hibernian Provident Society, of New Haven, 17 March 1842*. [p. 8.](https://books.google.com/books?id=-TcNAAAAYAAJ&dq=saint+patrick+snakes&pg=PA8) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611044313/https://books.google.com/books?id=-TcNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA8&dq=saint+patrick+snakes) 11 June 2020 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine")
92. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-news.nationalgeographic.com_93-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-news.nationalgeographic.com_93-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-news.nationalgeographic.com_93-2)
Owen, James (13 March 2008). ["Snakeless in Ireland: Blame Ice Age, Not St. Patrick"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120510051854/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html). *National Geographic News*. Archived from [the original](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html) on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
93. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-94)**
[*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP211). [Princeton University Press](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University_Press "Princeton University Press"). 2019. p. 211. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0691190013](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0691190013 "Special:BookSources/978-0691190013")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611045053/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP211) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
94. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-95)**
[Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ith%C3%AD_%C3%93_h%C3%93g%C3%A1in "Dáithí Ó hÓgáin") (1991). *Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition*. Prentice Hall Press. p. 358.
95. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-96)** Corlett, Christiaan. "The Prehistoric Ritual Landscape of Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo". *The Journal of Irish Archaeology*, Vol. 9. Wordwell, 1998. p. 19
96. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-97)** Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. *Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition*. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp. 357–58
97. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-98)**
Franklin, Anna; Mason, Paul (2001). *Lammas: Celebrating Fruits of the First Harvest*. Llewellyn Publications. p. 26.
98. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-99)**
Nagy, Joseph Falaky (2006). "Acallam na Senórach". In Koch, John T. (ed.). *Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia*. Vol. 1. Oxford: ABC-CLIO. p. 8. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-85109-440-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85109-440-0 "Special:BookSources/978-1-85109-440-0")
.
99. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-mackillop_100-0)**
MacKillop, James (1998). "Acallam na Senórach". *Dictionary of Celtic Mythology*. Oxford. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[0-19-860967-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-860967-1 "Special:BookSources/0-19-860967-1")
.
`{{cite encyclopedia}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher "Category:CS1 maint: location missing publisher"))
100. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-101)** [Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ith%C3%AD_%C3%93_h%C3%93g%C3%A1in "Dáithí Ó hÓgáin"). *Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition*. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp. 360–61
101. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-102)**
[O'Donovan, John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O%27Donovan_\(scholar\) "John O'Donovan (scholar)"), ed. (1856). [*Annála Rioghachta Éireann. Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters ... with a Translation and Copious Notes*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_the_Four_Masters "Annals of the Four Masters"). 7 vols. Translated by O'Donovan (2nd ed.). Dublin: [Royal Irish Academy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Irish_Academy "Royal Irish Academy").
s.a. 493.3 [CELT editions](http://celt.ucc.ie/publishd.html). Full scans at [Internet Archive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"): [Vol. 1](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo01ocleuoft); [Vol. 2](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo02ocleuoft); [Vol. 3](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo03ocleuoft); [Vol. 4](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo04ocleuoft); [Vol. 5](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo05ocleuoft); [Vol. 6](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo06ocleuoft); [Indices](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo07ocleuoft).
102. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-O'Rahilly_1942_103-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-O'Rahilly_1942_103-1) [O'Rahilly 1942](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFO'Rahilly1942)
103. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-104)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 141–43; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 182–83 [Bede](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede "Bede"), writing a century later, refers to [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") only.
104. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-105)** Byrne, pp. 78–79; [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 6–7, 88–89; [Duffy 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDuffy1997), pp. 16–17; [Fletcher 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFletcher1997), pp. 300–06; [Yorke 2006](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFYorke2006), p. 112
105. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-106)** There may well have been Christian "Irish" people in Britain at this time; [Goidelic-speaking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languages "Goidelic languages") people were found on both sides of the [Irish Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Sea "Irish Sea"), with Irish being spoken from [Cornwall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwall "Cornwall") to [Argyll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyll "Argyll"). The influence of the [Kingdom of Dyfed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Dyfed "Kingdom of Dyfed") may have been of particular importance. See [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 161–72; [Dark 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDark2000), pp. 188–90; [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), pp. 17–18; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 297–300 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
106. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-107)** [Duffy 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDuffy1997), pp. 16–17; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), p. 305 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
107. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-108)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 184–87; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 297–300 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors")); [Yorke 2006](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFYorke2006), pp. 112–14
108. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-109)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 233–40
109. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-110)** [Was St Patrick a slave-trading Roman official who fled to Ireland?](http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/was-st-patrick-a-slave-trading-roman-official-who-fled-to-ireland) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160308225050/http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/was-st-patrick-a-slave-trading-roman-official-who-fled-to-ireland) 8 March 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") 17 March 2012 Dr Roy Flechner Cambridge Research News. Retrieved 9 March 2016. This article was published in *Tome: Studies in Medieval History and Law in Honour of Thomas Charles-Edwards*, ed. F. Edmonds and P. Russell (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2011).
110. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-111)** See [Flechner 2011](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2011), pp. 130–33
111. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-112)** See [Flechner 2011](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2011), pp. 127–28
112. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-113)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 151–53; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 182–83
113. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-114)**
["Ὁ Ἅγιος Πατρίκιος Ἀπόστολος τῆς Ἰρλανδίας"](http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2959/sxsaintinfo.aspx) \[The Agios Patricios Apostle of Ireland\]. *ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ* \[*Great [Synaxaristes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaxarium "Synaxarium")*\] (in Greek). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110722002850/http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2959/sxsaintinfo.aspx) from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011. "Ημ. Εορτής: 17 Μαρτίου \[Feast Date: March 17\]"
114. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-115)**
Gregory Cleary (1913). ["Luke Wadding"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/Luke_Wadding) . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
115. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-116)**
["Ask a Franciscan: Saints Come From All Nations – March 2001 Issue of St. Anthony Messenger Magazine Online"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160510112657/http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar2001/Wiseman.asp#F4). Archived from [the original](http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar2001/Wiseman.asp#F4) on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
116. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-117)**
["St Patrick the Bishop of Armagh and Enlightener of Ireland"](http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/03/17/100821-st-patrick-the-bishop-of-armagh-and-enlightener-of-ireland). *oca.org*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131113013646/http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/03/17/100821-st-patrick-the-bishop-of-armagh-and-enlightener-of-ireland) from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2007.
117. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-118)**
["Icon of St. Patrick"](http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/patrick.htm). *orthodoxengland.org.uk*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110207081259/http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/patrick.htm) from the original on 7 February 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
118. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-119)**
O Suilleabhain, Sean (1952). *Miraculous Plenty: Irish Religious Folktales and Legends*. University College Dublin. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-9565628-2-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9565628-2-1 "Special:BookSources/978-0-9565628-2-1")
.
`{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#invalid_isbn_date "Help:CS1 errors"))
119. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-120)** [About Us](http://www.saintpatrickcentre.com/about.php) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110704013603/http://www.saintpatrickcentre.com/about.php) 4 July 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") *The Saint Patrick Centre* Retrieved 20 February 2011
120. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-121)**
["The Calendar"](https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/calendar). *The Church of England*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210309204842/https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/calendar) from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
121. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-122)**
["В месяцеслов Русской Православной Церкви включены имена древних святых, подвизавшихся в западных странах / Новости / Патриархия.ru"](http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4829992.html). *Патриархия.ru* (in Russian). Retrieved 27 June 2023.
122. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-123)**
["ЖУРНАЛЫ заседания Священного Синода от 9 марта 2017 года / Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru"](http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4829826.html). *Патриархия.ru* (in Russian). Retrieved 27 June 2023.
123. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-124)**
["*Heraldic Dictionary* – Crowns, Helmets, Chaplets & Chapeaux"](http://www.rarebooks.nd.edu/digital/heraldry/charges/crowns.html). Rarebooks.nd.edu. 24 February 2003. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170331033930/http://www.rarebooks.nd.edu/digital/heraldry/charges/crowns.html) from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
124. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-125)**
["An Archbishop's Mitre \| ClipArt ETC"](http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/80400/80471/80471_mitre.htm). Etc.usf.edu. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180716194659/http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/80400/80471/80471_mitre.htm) from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
125. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-126)**
["Patrician Brothers Crest"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060502052813/http://www.brothersofstpatrick.com/crest.htm). 2 May 2006. Archived from [the original](http://www.brothersofstpatrick.com/crest.htm) on 2 May 2006.
126. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-127)**
["Happy Saint Patrick's Day!"](http://catholicism.about.com/b/2013/03/17/happy-saint-patricks-day.htm). *About.com Catholicism*. Catholicism.about.com. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130511211405/http://catholicism.about.com/b/2013/03/17/happy-saint-patricks-day.htm) from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
127. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-128)**
["St. Patrick"](http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Patrick.html). Catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130601072819/http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Patrick.html) from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
128. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-129)**
["Happy Saint Patrick's Day, 2011"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131112100211/http://www.maynoothcollege.ie/news/HappySaintPatricksDay2011.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.maynoothcollege.ie/news/HappySaintPatricksDay2011.shtml) on 12 November 2013.
129. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-130)**
["Our Stained Glass Windows – St. Patrick"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131112105304/http://www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org/Stained%20Glass%20Chapel%20-%20St%20Patrick.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org/Stained%20Glass%20Chapel%20-%20St%20Patrick.html) on 12 November 2013.
130. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-131)**
["Optional Memorial of St. Patrick, bishop and confessor (Solemnity Aus, Ire, Feast New Zeal, Scot, Wales) – March 17, 2012 – Liturgical Calendar – Catholic Culture"](http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2012-03-17). Catholicculture.org. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180716224150/https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2012-03-17) from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
131. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-132)**
["Archdiocese of Armagh"](http://www.armagharchdiocese.org/). Armagharchdiocese.org. 31 May 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180705114145/https://www.armagharchdiocese.org/) from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
132. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-133)**
["The Church of Ireland Diocese of Armagh \| For information about the Church of Ireland Diocese of Armagh"](http://armagh.anglican.org/). Armagh.anglican.org. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130203064908/http://armagh.anglican.org/) from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
133. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-hm40_134-0)** Hayes-McCoy, p. 40
134. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-morley_135-0)**
Morley, Vincent (27 September 2007). ["St. Patrick's Cross"](http://home.connect.ie/morley/cros_e.htm). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131113013547/http://home.connect.ie/morley/cros_e.htm) from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
135. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-136)**
Colgan, Nathaniel (1896). "The Shamrock in Literature: a critical chronology". *Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland*. **26**. [Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society_of_Antiquaries_of_Ireland "Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland"): 349.
136. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-137)**
Swift, Jonathan (2008). ["Letter 61"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130525165044/http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/swift/jonathan/s97s/letter61.html). *Journal to Stella*. eBooks@Adelaide. [University of Adelaide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Adelaide "University of Adelaide"). Archived from [the original](https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/swift/jonathan/s97s/letter61.html) on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
137. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-badges_138-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-badges_138-1)
Croker, Thomas Crofton (1839). [*The Popular Songs of Ireland. Collected and Edited, with Introductions and Notes*](https://books.google.com/books?id=edtUAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA7). Henry Colburn. pp. 7–9\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611043057/https://books.google.com/books?id=edtUAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA7) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
138. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-139)** [*Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland*](https://archive.org/stream/journalofroyalso18royauoft) Vol. 18, plate facing p. 249 'Kilmalkedar'; fig. 4 is "St. Patrick's Cross" \[p. 251\] of children in S. of Irl. c. 1850s
139. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-140)** Colgan, p. 351, fn.2
140. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-141)**
"Irishman's Diary: The Patrick's Cross". *[The Irish Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irish_Times "The Irish Times")*. 13 March 1935. p. 4.
141. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-142)**
["The Bell of St Patrick and its Shrine"](https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Collections-Research/Collection/The-Treasury/Artefact/The-Bell-of-St-Patrick-and-its-Shrine/95577a65-66da-4228-869b-0e3644273d32). Dublin: [National Museum of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Ireland "National Museum of Ireland"). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250422055712/https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Collections-Research/Collection/The-Treasury/Artefact/The-Bell-of-St-Patrick-and-its-Shrine/95577a65-66da-4228-869b-0e3644273d32) from the original on 22 April 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
142. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-143)**
[Haweis, Hugh Reginald](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Reginald_Haweis "Hugh Reginald Haweis") (1878), ["Bell"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Bell) , in Baynes, T. S. (ed.), *[Encyclopædia Britannica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica "Encyclopædia Britannica")*, vol. 3 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 536
143. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-144)** The bell was formerly known as "The Bell of St Patrick's Will" (**Clog an eadhachta Phatraic**),[\[142\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-143) in reference to a medieval forgery which purported to have been the saint's [last will and testament](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_will_and_testament "Last will and testament").
144. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-145)** [Treasures of early Irish art, 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D.: from the collections of the National Museum of Ireland, Royal Irish Academy, Trinity College, Dublin](http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15324coll10/id/113771/rec/1) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131226083556/http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15324coll10/id/113771/rec/1) 26 December 2013 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine"), an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), bell No. 45, shrine \# 61; [*The Bellshrine of St. Patrick*](http://clanmaclochlainn.com/bell.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20101120212106/http://clanmaclochlainn.com/bell.htm) 20 November 2010 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine"), Clan McLaughlan website
145. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-146)**
Butler, Jenny (2012), "St. Patrick, Folklore and Irish National Identity" 84–101 in Heimo, Anne; Hovi, Tuomas; Vasenkari, Maria, ed. Saint Urho – Pyhä Urho – From Fakelore To Folklore, University of Turku: Finland.
[ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-951-29-4897-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-951-29-4897-0 "Special:BookSources/978-951-29-4897-0")
146. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-147)**
["Placenames NI – The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120317011157/http://www.placenamesni.org/resultsdetail.phtml?entry=12654). Placenamesni.org. Archived from [the original](http://www.placenamesni.org/resultsdetail.phtml?entry=12654) on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
147. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-148)**
["Cruach Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/114135?s=Croagh+Patrick). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180811195759/https://www.logainm.ie/en/114135?s=Croagh+Patrick) from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
148. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-149)**
["Loch Dearg, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Loch+Dearg&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210308151449/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Loch+Dearg&str=on) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
149. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-150)**
De Breffny, Brian (1983). *Ireland: A Cultural Encyclopedia*. London: Thames and Hudson. p. 190.
150. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-151)**
["Dún Padraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=D%C3%BAn+P%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210308133110/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=D%C3%BAn+P%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
151. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-auto_152-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-auto_152-1)
["'St Patrick's life shows the ties between Ireland and Somerset'"](https://mattbell.org/st-patricks-life-shows-the-ties-between-ireland-and-somerset). *Matthew Bell*. 16 March 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201001022732/https://mattbell.org/st-patricks-life-shows-the-ties-between-ireland-and-somerset) from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
152. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-153)** Ademi de Domerham Historia de Rebus Gestis Glastoniensibus, ed. T. Hearne, Oxford, 1727, see: Glastonbury Library.
153. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-154)** J. Carney, The Problem of St. Patrick, Dublin 1961, p. 121.
154. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-155)**
["Ard Padraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Ard+P%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210309014207/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Ard+P%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
155. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-156)**
["Old Patrick Water, linear feature"](http://saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk/place.php?id=1332859396). *Saints in Scottish Place-names*. Commemorations of Saints in Scottish Place-names. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150921165022/http://saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk/place.php?id=1332859396) from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
156. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-157)** *Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Sive Atlas Novus* Volume V, Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam 1654
157. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-158)** Registrum Monasterii de Passelet, Paisley Abbey Register 1208, 1211, 1226, 1396
158. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-159)** *A History of Elderslie* by Derek P. Parker (1983), pp. vi, 3–4, 5
159. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-160)**
["Tobar Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Tobar+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201229210105/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Tobar+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
160. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-161)**
["St Patrick's Well"](https://www.lakesguides.co.uk/html/lgaz/lk11041.htm). Retrieved 3 October 2021.
161. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-162)**
["Diocese of Carlisle"](https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/). Retrieved 3 October 2021.
162. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-163)**
["PatterdalePAST: St Patrick's Church"](https://www.patterdalepast.co.uk/church/). Retrieved 29 April 2024.
163. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-164)** [Bampton](https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/acny/church/15/)
164. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-165)**
["St Patrick - Diocese of Carlisle"](https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/acny/church/262/). *www.carlislediocese.org.uk*. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
165. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-166)**
["Teampall Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Teampall+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210308102501/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Teampall+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
166. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-167)**
["Introduction"](http://saintpatrickscrossliverpool.webs.com/). *Saint Patrick's Cross Liverpool*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121029021209/http://saintpatrickscrossliverpool.webs.com/) from the original on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
167. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-PLT_168-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-PLT_168-1) Philip Edwards, *Pilgrimage and Literary Tradition* (2005), p. 153
168. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-169)**
["Patrick: Son of Ireland \| Books"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090528101617/http://www.stephenlawhead.com/books/patrick.shtml). StephenLawhead.com. 23 August 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.stephenlawhead.com/books/patrick.shtml) on 28 May 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
## Works cited
- [Bury, John Bagnell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._Bury "J. B. Bury") (1905). *Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History*. London: Macmillan.
- [Byrne, Francis J.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_John_Byrne "Francis John Byrne") (1973). *Irish Kings and High-Kings*. London: Batsford. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7134-5882-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-5882-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-5882-4")
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- [Charles-Edwards, T.M.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Charles-Edwards "Thomas Charles-Edwards") (2000). *Early Christian Ireland*. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-521-36395-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-36395-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-521-36395-2")
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- [Dark, Ken](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Dark "Ken Dark") (2000). *Britain and the End of the Roman Empire*. Stroud: Tempus. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7524-2532-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7524-2532-0 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7524-2532-0")
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- Paor, Liam De (1993). *Saint Patrick's World: The Christian Culture of Ireland's Apostolic Age*. Dublin: Four Courts Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-85182-144-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-144-0 "Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-144-0")
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- Duffy, Seán, ed. (1997). [*Atlas of Irish History*](https://archive.org/details/atlasofirishhist00sean_0). Dublin: Gill and Macmillan. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7171-3093-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7171-3093-1 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7171-3093-1")
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- Dumville, David M. (1993). *Saint Patrick, AD 493–1993*. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-85115-332-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85115-332-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-85115-332-2")
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- Flechner, Roy (2011). "Patrick's Reasons for Leaving Britain". In Russell, Edmonds (ed.). *Tome: Studies in Medieval Celtic History and Law in Honour of Thomas Charles-Edwards*. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-84383-661-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84383-661-2 "Special:BookSources/978-1-84383-661-2")
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- Flechner, Roy (2019). [*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0691184647](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0691184647 "Special:BookSources/978-0691184647")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611033943/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- [Fletcher, Richard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_A._Fletcher "Richard A. Fletcher") (1997). *The Conversion of Europe: From Paganism to Christianity 371–1386 AD*. London: Harper Collins. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-00-686302-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-00-686302-1 "Special:BookSources/978-0-00-686302-1")
.
- Hood, A.B.E. (1978). *St. Patrick: his Writings, and Muirchú's Life*. London and Chichester: Phillimore. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-85033-299-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85033-299-5 "Special:BookSources/978-0-85033-299-5")
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- [Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ibh%C3%AD_%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn "Dáibhí Ó Cróinín") (1995). *Early Medieval Ireland: 400–1200*. London: Longman. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-582-01565-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-01565-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-582-01565-4")
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- [O'Rahilly, T. F.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._F._O%27Rahilly "T. F. O'Rahilly") (1942). *The Two Patricks: A Lecture on the History of Christianity in Fifth-Century Ireland*. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
- Stancliffe, Claire (2004). ["Patrick (*fl.* 5th cent.)"](http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21562). *[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography#Oxford_Dictionary_of_National_Biography "Dictionary of National Biography")* (online ed.). Oxford University Press. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_\(identifier\) "Doi (identifier)"):[10\.1093/ref:odnb/21562](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fref%3Aodnb%2F21562). Retrieved 17 February 2007.
(Subscription, [Wikipedia Library](https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/88/) access or [UK public library membership](https://www.oxforddnb.com/help/subscribe#public) required.)
- [Thomas, Charles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Thomas_\(historian\) "Charles Thomas (historian)") (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. London: Batsford. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7134-1442-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-1442-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-1442-4")
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- Thompson, E.A. (1980). Caird, G.B.; Chadwick, Henry (eds.). "St. Patrick and Coroticus". *The Journal of Theological Studies*. **31**: 12–27\. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_\(identifier\) "Doi (identifier)"):[10\.1093/jts/XXXI.1.12](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fjts%2FXXXI.1.12). [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_\(identifier\) "ISSN (identifier)") [0022-5185](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0022-5185).
- White, Newport J.D. (1920). [*St. Patrick, His Writings and Life*](https://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ). New York: Macmillan. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611043216/https://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- Wood, Ian (2001). *The Missionary Life: Saints and the Evangelisation of Europe 400–1050*. London: Longman. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-582-31213-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-31213-5 "Special:BookSources/978-0-582-31213-5")
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- [Yorke, Barbara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Yorke "Barbara Yorke") (2006). *The Conversion of Britain: Religion, Politics and Society in Britain c. 600–800*. London: Longman. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-582-77292-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-77292-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-582-77292-2")
.
## Further reading
- [Brown, Peter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Robert_Lamont_Brown "Peter Robert Lamont Brown") (2003). [*The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000*](https://archive.org/details/riseofwesternchr0002brow) (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-631-22138-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-631-22138-8 "Special:BookSources/978-0-631-22138-8")
.
- [Cahill, Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cahill "Thomas Cahill") (1995). *How the Irish Saved Civilization*. New York: Doubleday. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-385-41849-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-385-41849-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-385-41849-2")
.
- [Dumville, David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dumville "David Dumville") (1994). "The Death Date of St. Patrick". In Howlett, David (ed.). *The Book of Letters of Saint Patrick the Bishop*. Dublin: Four Courts Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-85182-136-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-136-5 "Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-136-5")
.
- [Healy, John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Healy_\(bishop\) "John Healy (bishop)") (1892). ["The Arrival of Saint Patrick"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_ancient_Irish_church/Chapter_2) . *The Ancient Irish Church* (1 ed.). London: Religious Tract Society. pp. 17–25\.
- [Hughes, Kathleen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Hughes_\(historian\) "Kathleen Hughes (historian)") (1972). *Early Christian Ireland: Introduction to the Sources*. London: Hodder & Stoughton. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-340-16145-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-340-16145-6 "Special:BookSources/978-0-340-16145-6")
.
- Iannello, Fausto (2008). "Note storiche sull'*Epistola ad Milites Corotici* di San Patrizio". *Atti della Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, Classe di Lettere, Filosofia e Belle Arti*. **84**: 275–85\.
- Iannello, Fausto (2012), "Il modello paolino nell’*Epistola ad milites Corotici* di san Patrizio, *Bollettino di Studi Latini* 42/1: 43–63
- Iannello, Fausto (2013), "Notes and Considerations on the Importance of St. Patrick's Epistola ad Milites Corotici as a Source on the Origins of Celtic Christianity and Sub-Roman Britain". *Imago Temporis. Medium Aevum* 7 2013: 97–137
- Moran, Patrick Francis Cardinal (1913). ["St. Patrick"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/St._Patrick) . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- [McCaffrey, Carmel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel_McCaffrey "Carmel McCaffrey") (2003). *In Search of Ancient Ireland*. Chicago: Ivan R Dee. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-56663-525-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56663-525-7 "Special:BookSources/978-1-56663-525-7")
.
- MacQuarrie, Alan (1997). *The Saints of Scotland: Essays in Scottish Church History AD 450–1093*. Edinburgh: John Donald. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-85976-446-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85976-446-9 "Special:BookSources/978-0-85976-446-9")
.
- [O'Loughlin, Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_O%27Loughlin "Thomas O'Loughlin") (1999). *Saint Patrick: The Man and his Works*. London: S.P.C.K.
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2000). *Celtic Theology*. London: Continuum.
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2005). *Discovering Saint Patrick*. New York: Orbis.
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2005). "The Capitula of Muirchu's Vita Patricii: do they point to an underlying structure in the text?". *Analecta Bollandiana*. **123**: 79–89\. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_\(identifier\) "Doi (identifier)"):[10\.1484/J.ABOL.4.00190](https://doi.org/10.1484%2FJ.ABOL.4.00190).
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2007). Nagy, J. F. (ed.). *The Myth of Insularity and Nationality in Ireland*. Dublin: Four Courts Press. pp. 132–40\.
## External links
**Patrick** at Wikipedia's [sister projects](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikimedia_sister_projects "Wikipedia:Wikimedia sister projects")
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg)[Media](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Saint_Patrick "c:Category:Saint Patrick") from Commons
- [Quotations](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick "q:Saint Patrick") from Wikiquote
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wikisource-logo.svg)[Texts](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Saint_Patrick "s:Author:Saint Patrick") from Wikisource
- [Data](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165479 "d:Q165479") from Wikidata
- [Works by Saint Patrick](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/39618) at [Project Gutenberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gutenberg "Project Gutenberg")
- [*The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick*](http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18482), edited by James O'Leary, 1880, from [Project Gutenberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gutenberg "Project Gutenberg").
- [Works by or about Saint Patrick](https://archive.org/search.php?query=%28%22Saint+Patrick%22+OR+%22St.+Patrick%22%29) at the [Internet Archive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive")
- [Works by Saint Patrick](https://librivox.org/author/4359) at [LibriVox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibriVox "LibriVox") (public domain audiobooks) 
- [St. Patrick's Confession and Epistola online from the Royal Irish Academy](http://www.confessio.ie/)
- [BBC: Religion & Ethics, Christianity: Saint Patrick (Incl. audio)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/patrick_1.shtml)
- [Opera Omnia by Migne Patristica Latina with analytical indexes](http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/30_10_0387-0493-_Patricius,_Sanctus.html)
- [CELT](http://www.ucc.ie/celt) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170325183244/http://www.ucc.ie/celt) 25 March 2017 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine"): Corpus of Electronic Texts at [University College Cork](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_College_Cork "University College Cork") includes Patrick's [*Confessio*](http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/L201060/index.html) and [*Epistola*](http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/L201061/index.html), as well as various lives of Saint Patrick.
- [Saint Patrick's Confessio Hypertext Stack](http://www.confessio.ie/) as published by the Royal Irish Academy Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources (DMLCS) freely providing digital scholarly editions of Saint Patrick's writings as well as translations and digital facsimiles of all extant manuscript copies.
- [History Hub.ie](http://historyhub.ie/saint-patrick-historical-man-and-popular-myth): Saint Patrick – Historical Man and Popular Myth by Elva Johnston (University College Dublin)
- [Saint Patrick Timeline \| Church History Timelines](http://www.churchhistorytimelines.com/pages/st-patrick)
| [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Hiberno-Latin_to_1169 "Template:Hiberno-Latin to 1169") [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Hiberno-Latin_to_1169 "Template talk:Hiberno-Latin to 1169") [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Hiberno-Latin_to_1169 "Special:EditPage/Template:Hiberno-Latin to 1169")[Hiberno-Latin culture to 1169](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiberno-Latin "Hiberno-Latin") | |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| | |
| On the continent | [Cadac-Andreas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadac-Andreas "Cadac-Andreas") [Cellanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellanus "Cellanus") [Clement of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Ireland "Clement of Ireland") [Coelius Sedulius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coelius_Sedulius "Coelius Sedulius") [Colman nepos Cracavist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colman_nepos_Cracavist "Colman nepos Cracavist") [Columbanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbanus "Columbanus") [Dicuil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicuil "Dicuil") [Donatus of Fiesole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donatus_of_Fiesole "Donatus of Fiesole") [Dungal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungal "Dungal") [Hibernicus exul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernicus_exul "Hibernicus exul") [John Scotus Eriugena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Scotus_Eriugena "John Scotus Eriugena") [Joseph Scottus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Scottus "Joseph Scottus") [Marianus Scotus of Mainz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianus_Scotus_of_Mainz "Marianus Scotus of Mainz") [Marianus Scotus of Regensburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianus_Scotus_of_Regensburg "Marianus Scotus of Regensburg") [Martin of Laon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_of_Laon "Martin of Laon") [Sedulius Scottus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedulius_Scottus "Sedulius Scottus") [Tuotilo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuotilo "Tuotilo") [Virgil of Salzburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_of_Salzburg "Virgil of Salzburg") [Virgilius Maro Grammaticus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgilius_Maro_Grammaticus "Virgilius Maro Grammaticus") |
| Texts | *[Altus Prosator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altus_Prosator "Altus Prosator")* *[Cambrai Homily](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambrai_Homily "Cambrai Homily")* *[Collectio canonum Hibernensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collectio_canonum_Hibernensis "Collectio canonum Hibernensis")* *[Hisperica Famina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hisperica_Famina "Hisperica Famina")* *[De mirabilibus sacrae scripturae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_mirabilibus_sacrae_scripturae "De mirabilibus sacrae scripturae")* *[Proverbia Grecorum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proverbia_Grecorum "Proverbia Grecorum")* |
| Manuscripts | [Antiphonary of Bangor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiphonary_of_Bangor "Antiphonary of Bangor") [Gospels of Mael Brigte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospels_of_Mael_Brigte "Gospels of Mael Brigte") [Reichenau Primer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichenau_Primer "Reichenau Primer") [Stowe Missal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stowe_Missal "Stowe Missal") |
| See also [Celtic Christianity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Christianity "Celtic Christianity") [Hiberno-Scottish mission](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiberno-Scottish_mission "Hiberno-Scottish mission") [Hiberno-Latin after 1169](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Hiberno-Latin_post-1169 "Template:Hiberno-Latin post-1169") | |
| [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Anglo-Saxon_saints "Template:Anglo-Saxon saints") [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Anglo-Saxon_saints "Template talk:Anglo-Saxon saints") [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Anglo-Saxon_saints "Special:EditPage/Template:Anglo-Saxon saints")[Saints of Anglo-Saxon England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Anglo-Saxon_saints "List of Anglo-Saxon saints") | |
|---|---|
| British / Welsh | [Aldate of Oxford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Aldate "Saint Aldate") [Barloc of Norbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barloc "Barloc") [Brannoc of Braunton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brannoc_of_Braunton "Brannoc of Braunton") [Branwalator of Milton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branwalator "Branwalator") [Credan of Evesham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credan "Credan") [Congar of Congresbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congar_of_Congresbury "Congar of Congresbury") [Dachuna of Bodmin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachuna "Dachuna") [Decuman of Watchet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decuman "Decuman") [Elfin of Warrington](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfin_of_Warrington "Elfin of Warrington") [Ivo of Ramsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivo_of_Ramsey "Ivo of Ramsey") [Judoc of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judoc "Judoc") [Melorius of Amesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melor "Melor") [Nectan of Hartland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectan_of_Hartland "Nectan of Hartland") [Neot of Cornwall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Neot_\(monk\) "Saint Neot (monk)") [Patrick of Glastonbury]() [Rumon of Tavistock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumon "Rumon") [Samson of Dol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_of_Dol "Samson of Dol") [Sativola of Exeter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sativola "Sativola") |
| East Anglian | [Æthelberht of East Anglia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelberht_II_of_East_Anglia "Æthelberht II of East Anglia") [Æthelburh of Faremoutiers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelburh_of_Faremoutiers "Æthelburh of Faremoutiers") [Æthelflæd of Ramsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%86thelfl%C3%A6d_of_Ramsey&action=edit&redlink=1 "Æthelflæd of Ramsey (page does not exist)") [Æthelthryth of Ely](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelthryth "Æthelthryth") [Æthelwine of Lindsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelwine_of_Lindsey "Æthelwine of Lindsey") [Athwulf of Thorney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adulf "Adulf") [Blida of Martham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Blida "Saint Blida") [Botwulf of Thorney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botwulf_of_Thorney "Botwulf of Thorney") [Cissa of Crowland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cissa_of_Crowland "Cissa of Crowland") [Cuthbald of Peterborough](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cuthbald&action=edit&redlink=1 "Cuthbald (page does not exist)") [Eadmund of East Anglia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_the_Martyr "Edmund the Martyr") [Eadnoth of Ramsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadnoth_the_Younger "Eadnoth the Younger") [Guthlac of Crowland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guthlac_of_Crowland "Guthlac of Crowland") [Herefrith of Thorney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herefrith_of_Thorney "Herefrith of Thorney") [Hiurmine of Blythburgh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiurmine "Hiurmine") [Huna of Thorney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huna_of_Thorney "Huna of Thorney") [Pega of Peakirk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pega "Pega") [Seaxburh of Ely](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaxburh_of_Ely "Seaxburh of Ely") [Sigeberht of East Anglia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigeberht_of_East_Anglia "Sigeberht of East Anglia") [Tancred of Thorney](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martyrs_of_Thorney&action=edit&redlink=1 "Martyrs of Thorney (page does not exist)") [Torthred of Thorney](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martyrs_of_Thorney&action=edit&redlink=1 "Martyrs of Thorney (page does not exist)") [Tova of Thorney](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martyrs_of_Thorney&action=edit&redlink=1 "Martyrs of Thorney (page does not exist)") [Walstan of Bawburgh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Walstan "Saint Walstan") [Wendreda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendreda "Wendreda") [Wihtburh of Ely](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wihtburh "Wihtburh") [Wulfric of Holme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wulfric_of_Holme "Wulfric of Holme") |
| East Saxon | [Æthelburh of Barking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelburh_of_Barking "Æthelburh of Barking") [Earconwald of London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earconwald "Earconwald") [Hildelith of Barking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildelith "Hildelith") [Osgyth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgyth "Osgyth") [Sæbbi of London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A6bbi_of_Essex "Sæbbi of Essex") |
| Frisian, Frankish and Old Saxon | [Balthild of Romsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Balthild_of_Romsey&action=edit&redlink=1 "Balthild of Romsey (page does not exist)") [Bertha of Kent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_of_Kent "Bertha of Kent") [Felix of Dommoc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_of_Burgundy "Felix of Burgundy") [Helier of Jersey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helier "Helier") [Grimbald of Saint-Bertin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimbald_of_Saint-Bertin "Grimbald of Saint-Bertin") [Monegunda of Watton](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monegunda&action=edit&redlink=1 "Monegunda (page does not exist)") [Odwulf of Evesham](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Odwulf&action=edit&redlink=1 "Odwulf (page does not exist)") [Wulfram of Grantham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wulfram_of_Sens "Wulfram of Sens") |
| Irish and Scottish | [Aidan of Lindisfarne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aidan_of_Lindisfarne "Aidan of Lindisfarne") [Boisil of Melrose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boisil "Boisil") [Echa of Crayke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echa_of_Crayke "Echa of Crayke") [Ultan the Scribe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultan_the_Scribe "Ultan the Scribe") [Indract of Glastonbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indract_of_Glastonbury "Indract of Glastonbury") [Maildub of Malmesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1el_Dub "Máel Dub") |
| Kentish | [Æbbe of Thanet (Domne Eafe)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domne_Eafe "Domne Eafe") [Æthelberht of Kent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelberht_of_Kent "Æthelberht of Kent") [Æthelburh of Kent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelburh_of_Kent "Æthelburh of Kent") [Æthelred of Kent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelred_and_%C3%86thelberht "Æthelred and Æthelberht") [Albinus of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albinus_\(abbot\) "Albinus (abbot)") [Berhtwald of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berhtwald "Berhtwald") [Deusdedit of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deusdedit_of_Canterbury "Deusdedit of Canterbury") [Edburga of Minster-in-Thanet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edburga_of_Minster-in-Thanet "Edburga of Minster-in-Thanet") [Eanswith of Folkestone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eanswith "Eanswith") [Eormengyth of Thanet](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eormengyth&action=edit&redlink=1 "Eormengyth (page does not exist)") [Mildrith of Thanet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildrith "Mildrith") [Nothhelm of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothhelm "Nothhelm") [Sigeburh of Thanet](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sigeburh&action=edit&redlink=1 "Sigeburh (page does not exist)") |
| Mercian | [Ælfnoth of Stowe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfnoth_of_Stowe "Ælfnoth of Stowe") [Ælfthryth of Crowland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfthryth_of_Crowland "Ælfthryth of Crowland") [Æthelberht of Bedford](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%86thelberht_of_Bedford&action=edit&redlink=1 "Æthelberht of Bedford (page does not exist)") [Æthelmod of Leominster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelmod_of_Leominster "Æthelmod of Leominster") [Æthelred of Mercia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelred_of_Mercia "Æthelred of Mercia") [Æthelwynn of Sodbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%86thelwynn_of_Sodbury&action=edit&redlink=1 "Æthelwynn of Sodbury (page does not exist)") [Aldwyn of Coln](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldwyn_of_Coln "Aldwyn of Coln") [Beonna of Breedon](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beonna_of_Breedon&action=edit&redlink=1 "Beonna of Breedon (page does not exist)") [Beorhthelm of Stafford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beorhthelm_of_Stafford "Beorhthelm of Stafford") [Coenwulf of Mercia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenwulf_of_Mercia "Coenwulf of Mercia") [Cotta of Breedon](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cotta_of_Breedon&action=edit&redlink=1 "Cotta of Breedon (page does not exist)") [Credan of Evesham](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Credan_of_Evesham&action=edit&redlink=1 "Credan of Evesham (page does not exist)") [Cyneburh of Castor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyneburga,_Kyneswide_and_Tibba "Kyneburga, Kyneswide and Tibba") [Cyneburh of Gloucester](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cyneburh_of_Gloucester&action=edit&redlink=1 "Cyneburh of Gloucester (page does not exist)") [Cynehelm of Winchcombe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Kenelm "Saint Kenelm") [Cyneswith of Peterborough](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyneswith "Cyneswith") [Eadburh of Bicester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadburh_of_Bicester "Eadburh of Bicester") [Eadburh of Pershore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadburh_of_Pershore "Eadburh of Pershore") [Eadburh of Southwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eadburh_of_Southwell&action=edit&redlink=1 "Eadburh of Southwell (page does not exist)") [Eadgyth of Aylesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadgyth_of_Aylesbury "Eadgyth of Aylesbury") [Eadweard of Maugersbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eadweard_of_Maugersbury&action=edit&redlink=1 "Eadweard of Maugersbury (page does not exist)") [Ealdgyth of Stortford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ealdgyth_of_Stortford "Ealdgyth of Stortford") [Egwin of Evesham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egwin_of_Evesham "Egwin of Evesham") [Freomund of Mercia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freomund&action=edit&redlink=1 "Freomund (page does not exist)") [Frithuric of Breedon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frithuric "Frithuric") [Frithuswith of Oxford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frithuswith "Frithuswith") [Frithuwold of Chertsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frithuwold_of_Chertsey "Frithuwold of Chertsey") [Hæmma of Leominster](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=H%C3%A6mma&action=edit&redlink=1 "Hæmma (page does not exist)") [Merefin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merefin&action=edit&redlink=1 "Merefin (page does not exist)") [Mildburh of Wenlock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildburh "Mildburh") [Mildgyth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildgyth "Mildgyth") [Mildrith of Thanet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildrith "Mildrith") [Milred of Worcester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milred "Milred") [Oda of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oda_of_Canterbury "Oda of Canterbury") [Oswald of Worcester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswald_of_Worcester "Oswald of Worcester") [Osburh of Coventry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osburh_of_Coventry "Osburh of Coventry") [Regenhere of Northampton](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Regenhere&action=edit&redlink=1 "Regenhere (page does not exist)") [Rumbold of Buckingham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumbold_of_Buckingham "Rumbold of Buckingham") [Tibba of Ryhall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyneburga,_Kyneswide_and_Tibba "Kyneburga, Kyneswide and Tibba") [Werburgh of Chester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werburgh "Werburgh") [Wærstan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%A6rstan "Wærstan") [Wigstan of Repton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigstan "Wigstan") [Wulfhild of Barking](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wulfhild_of_Barking&action=edit&redlink=1 "Wulfhild of Barking (page does not exist)") |
| Northumbrian | [Acca of Hexham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acca_of_Hexham "Acca of Hexham") [Æbbe "the Elder" of Coldingham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86bbe_of_Coldingham "Æbbe of Coldingham") [Æbbe "the Younger" of Coldingham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86bbe_the_Younger "Æbbe the Younger") [Ælfflæd of Whitby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lffl%C3%A6d_of_Whitby "Ælfflæd of Whitby") [Ælfwald of Northumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfwald_I_of_Northumbria "Ælfwald I of Northumbria") [Æthelburh of Hackness](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%86thelburh_of_Hackness&action=edit&redlink=1 "Æthelburh of Hackness (page does not exist)") [Æthelgyth of Coldingham](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%86thelgyth_of_Coldingham&action=edit&redlink=1 "Æthelgyth of Coldingham (page does not exist)") [Æthelsige of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%86thelsige_of_Ripon&action=edit&redlink=1 "Æthelsige of Ripon (page does not exist)") [Æthelwold of Farne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelwold_\(hermit\) "Æthelwold (hermit)") [Æthelwold of Lindisfarne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelwold_\(bishop_of_Lindisfarne\) "Æthelwold (bishop of Lindisfarne)") [Alchhild of Middleham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchhild_of_Middleham "Alchhild of Middleham") [Alchmund of Hexham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchmund_of_Hexham "Alchmund of Hexham") [Alkmund of Derby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkmund_of_Derby "Alkmund of Derby") [Balthere of Tyningham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldred_of_Tyninghame "Baldred of Tyninghame") [Beda of Jarrow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede "Bede") [Bega of Copeland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Bega "Saint Bega") [Benedict Biscop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Biscop "Benedict Biscop") [Bercthun of Beverley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bercthun "Bercthun") [Billfrith of Lindisfarne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billfrith "Billfrith") [Bosa of York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosa_of_York "Bosa of York") [Botwine of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botwine "Botwine") [Ceadda of Lichfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_of_Mercia "Chad of Mercia") [Cedd of Lichfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedd "Cedd") [Ceolfrith of Monkwearmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceolfrith "Ceolfrith") [Ceolwulf of Northumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceolwulf_of_Northumbria "Ceolwulf of Northumbria") [Cuthbert of Durham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuthbert "Cuthbert") [Dryhthelm of Melrose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryhthelm "Dryhthelm") [Eadberht of Lindisfarne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadberht_of_Lindisfarne "Eadberht of Lindisfarne") [Eadfrith of Leominster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadfrith_of_Leominster "Eadfrith of Leominster") [Eadfrith of Lindisfarne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadfrith_of_Lindisfarne "Eadfrith of Lindisfarne") [Eadwine of Northumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_of_Northumbria "Edwin of Northumbria") [Ealdberht of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ealdberht_of_Ripon "Ealdberht of Ripon") [Eanmund](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Eanmund&action=edit&redlink=1 "Saint Eanmund (page does not exist)") [Eardwulf of Northumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eardwulf_of_Northumbria "Eardwulf of Northumbria") [Eata of Hexham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eata_of_Hexham "Eata of Hexham") [Ecgberht of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecgberht_of_Ripon "Ecgberht of Ripon") [Eoda](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eoda&action=edit&redlink=1 "Eoda (page does not exist)") [Eosterwine of Monkwearmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosterwine "Eosterwine") [Hilda of Whitby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_of_Whitby "Hilda of Whitby") [Hyglac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyglac "Hyglac") [Iwig of Wilton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwig "Iwig") [John of Beverley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Beverley "John of Beverley") [Osana of Howden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osana "Osana") [Osthryth of Bardney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osthryth "Osthryth") [Oswald of Northumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswald_of_Northumbria "Oswald of Northumbria") [Oswine of Northumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswine_of_Deira "Oswine of Deira") [Sicgred of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicgred "Sicgred") [Sigfrith of Monkwearmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigfrith "Sigfrith") [Tatberht of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatberht "Tatberht") [Wihtberht of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wihtberht "Wihtberht") [Wilfrith of Hexham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid "Wilfrid") [Wilfrith II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid_II_\(bishop_of_York\) "Wilfrid II (bishop of York)") [Wilgils of Ripon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilgils "Wilgils") |
| Roman | [Augustine of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Canterbury "Augustine of Canterbury") [Firmin of North Crawley](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Firmin_of_North_Crawley&action=edit&redlink=1 "Firmin of North Crawley (page does not exist)") [Birinus of Dorchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birinus "Birinus") [Florentius of Peterborough](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florentius_of_Peterborough "Florentius of Peterborough") [Hadrian of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_of_Canterbury "Adrian of Canterbury") [Honorius of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorius_of_Canterbury "Honorius of Canterbury") [James the Deacon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Deacon "James the Deacon") [Justus of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justus "Justus") [Laurence of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_of_Canterbury "Laurence of Canterbury") [Mellitus of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellitus "Mellitus") [Paulinus of York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulinus_of_York "Paulinus of York") [Peter of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Canterbury "Peter of Canterbury") [Theodore of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_of_Tarsus "Theodore of Tarsus") |
| South Saxon | [Cuthflæd of Lyminster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuthfl%C3%A6d "Cuthflæd") [Cuthmann of Steyning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuthmann_of_Steyning "Cuthmann of Steyning") [Lewina of Bishopstone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewina "Lewina") |
| West Saxon | [Ælfgar of Selwood](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfgar_of_Selwood "Ælfgar of Selwood") [Ælfgifu of Exeter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfgifu_of_Exeter "Ælfgifu of Exeter") [Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfgifu_of_Shaftesbury "Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury") [Ælfheah of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_of_Canterbury "Ælfheah of Canterbury") [Ælfheah of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lfheah_the_Bald "Ælfheah the Bald") [Æthelflæd of Romsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelfl%C3%A6d_of_Romsey "Æthelflæd of Romsey") [Æthelgar of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelgar "Æthelgar") [Æthelnoth of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelnoth_\(archbishop_of_Canterbury\) "Æthelnoth (archbishop of Canterbury)") [Æthelwine of Athelney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelwine_of_Athelney "Æthelwine of Athelney") [Æthelwold of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelwold_of_Winchester "Æthelwold of Winchester") [Aldhelm of Sherborne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldhelm "Aldhelm") [Benignus of Glastonbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benignus_of_Glastonbury&action=edit&redlink=1 "Benignus of Glastonbury (page does not exist)") [Beocca of Chertsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beocca&action=edit&redlink=1 "Beocca (page does not exist)") [Beorhthelm of Shaftesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beorhthelm_of_Shaftesbury&action=edit&redlink=1 "Beorhthelm of Shaftesbury (page does not exist)") [Beornstan of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beornstan_of_Winchester "Beornstan of Winchester") [Beornwald of Bampton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beornwald "Beornwald") [Centwine of Wessex](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centwine_of_Wessex "Centwine of Wessex") [Cuthburh of Wimborn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuthburh "Cuthburh") [Cwenburh of Wimborne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cwenburh "Cwenburh") [Dunstan of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunstan "Dunstan") [Eadburh of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadburh_of_Winchester "Eadburh of Winchester") [Eadgar of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_the_Peaceful "Edgar the Peaceful") [Eadgyth of Polesworth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_of_Polesworth "Edith of Polesworth") [Eadgyth of Wilton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_of_Wilton "Edith of Wilton") [Eadweard the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_the_Confessor "Edward the Confessor") [Eadweard the Martyr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_the_Martyr "Edward the Martyr") [Eadwold of Cerne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadwold_of_Cerne "Eadwold of Cerne") [Earmund of Stoke Fleming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earmund "Earmund") [Edor of Chertsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edor "Edor") [Evorhilda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everilda "Everilda") [Frithestan of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frithestan "Frithestan") [Hædde of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A6dde "Hædde") [Heahmund of Sherborne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heahmund "Heahmund") [Humbert of Stokenham](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Humbert_of_Stokenham&action=edit&redlink=1 "Humbert of Stokenham (page does not exist)") [Hwita of Whitchurch Canonicorum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwita "Hwita") [Mærwynn of Romsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A6rwynn "Mærwynn") [Margaret of Dunfermline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Margaret_of_Scotland "Saint Margaret of Scotland") [Swithhun of Winchester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swithun "Swithun") [Wulfsige of Sherborne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wulfsige_I "Wulfsige I") [Wulfthryth of Wilton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wulfthryth_of_Wilton "Wulfthryth of Wilton") |
| Unclear origin | [Arilda of Oldbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arilda_of_Oldbury "Arilda of Oldbury") [Juthwara of Sherbourne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juthwara "Juthwara") [Rumbold of Mechlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumbold_of_Mechlin "Rumbold of Mechlin") [Urith of Chittlehampton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urith "Urith") |
| [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Saints_of_Ireland "Template:Saints of Ireland") [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Saints_of_Ireland "Template talk:Saints of Ireland") [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Saints_of_Ireland "Special:EditPage/Template:Saints of Ireland")[Saints of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_saints_of_Ireland "List of saints of Ireland") | |
|---|---|
| [Abbán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abb%C3%A1n "Abbán") [Abel of Reims](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abel_of_Reims "Abel of Reims") [Abran](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abran "Abran") [Adalgis of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adalgis_of_Ireland&action=edit&redlink=1 "Adalgis of Ireland (page does not exist)") [Adomnán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adomn%C3%A1n "Adomnán") [Adomnán of Coldingham](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adomn%C3%A1n_of_Coldingham&action=edit&redlink=1 "Adomnán of Coldingham (page does not exist)") [Aidan of Lindisfarne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aidan_of_Lindisfarne "Aidan of Lindisfarne") [Ailbe of Emly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailbe_of_Emly "Ailbe of Emly") [Ailerán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailer%C3%A1n "Ailerán") [Andrew the Scot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_the_Scot "Andrew the Scot") [Assicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assicus "Assicus") [Athracht](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athracht "Athracht") [Autbod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autbod "Autbod") [Baithéne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baith%C3%A9ne_mac_Br%C3%A9naind "Baithéne mac Brénaind") [Balin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Balin&action=edit&redlink=1 "Saint Balin (page does not exist)") [Baldred of Tyninghame](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldred_of_Tyninghame "Baldred of Tyninghame") [Barrfoin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barrfoin&action=edit&redlink=1 "Barrfoin (page does not exist)") [Bean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Bean "Saint Bean") [Bécán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9c%C3%A1n "Bécán") [Bega](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Bega "Saint Bega") [Benignus of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benignus_of_Armagh "Benignus of Armagh") [Beoadh](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beoadh&action=edit&redlink=1 "Beoadh (page does not exist)") [Beoc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabheog "Dabheog") [Berach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Berach "Saint Berach") [Blaithmaic](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blaithmaic&action=edit&redlink=1 "Blaithmaic (page does not exist)") [Boadin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boadin&action=edit&redlink=1 "Boadin (page does not exist)") [Boethian of Pierrepoint](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boethian_of_Pierrepoint&action=edit&redlink=1 "Boethian of Pierrepoint (page does not exist)") [Brandan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Brandan "Saint Brandan") [Breage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breage "Breage") [Brendan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_the_Navigator "Brendan the Navigator") [Brendan of Birr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_of_Birr "Brendan of Birr") [Briarch](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Briarch&action=edit&redlink=1 "Briarch (page does not exist)") [Brigit of Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigit_of_Kildare "Brigit of Kildare") [Brogan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocc%C3%A1n_Cl%C3%B3en "Broccán Clóen") [Bron](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Bron&action=edit&redlink=1 "Saint Bron (page does not exist)") [Brónach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%B3nach "Brónach") [Budoc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budoc "Budoc") [Buriana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buriana "Buriana") [Gobhan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gobhan "Gobhan") [Máedóc of Ferns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1ed%C3%B3c_of_Ferns "Máedóc of Ferns") [Óengus of Tallaght](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93engus_of_Tallaght "Óengus of Tallaght") [Patrick]() [Scuithin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuithin "Scuithin") | [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_Patrick_\(window\).jpg "Patrick") |
| **[Saints Portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Saints "Portal:Saints")** **[Ireland Portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Ireland "Portal:Ireland")** | |
| [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Catholic_saints "Template:Catholic saints") [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Catholic_saints "Template talk:Catholic saints") [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Catholic_saints "Special:EditPage/Template:Catholic saints")[Saints of the Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Catholic_saints "List of Catholic saints") | |
|---|---|
| [Dicastery for the Causes of Saints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicastery_for_the_Causes_of_Saints "Dicastery for the Causes of Saints") Stages of [canonization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonization "Canonization"): [Servant of God](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_of_God#Catholic_Church "Servant of God") → [Venerable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Venerable "The Venerable") → [Blessed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatification "Beatification") → [Saint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint "Saint") | |
| [Virgin Mary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneration_of_Mary_in_the_Catholic_Church "Veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church") | [Mother of God (Theotokos)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theotokos "Theotokos") [Immaculate Conception](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception "Immaculate Conception") [Perpetual virginity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_virginity_of_Mary "Perpetual virginity of Mary") [Assumption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary "Assumption of Mary") [Marian apparition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_apparition "Marian apparition") [Titles of Mary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titles_of_Mary "Titles of Mary") [Joseph (husband)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph "Saint Joseph") |
| [Apostles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostles_in_the_New_Testament "Apostles in the New Testament") | [Andrew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_the_Apostle "Andrew the Apostle") [Barnabas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnabas "Barnabas") [Bartholomew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_the_Apostle "Bartholomew the Apostle") [James of Alphaeus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_son_of_Alphaeus "James, son of Alphaeus") [James the Great](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_Great "James the Great") [John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle "John the Apostle") [Jude](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_the_Apostle "Jude the Apostle") [Matthew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_the_Apostle "Matthew the Apostle") [Matthias](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_the_Apostle "Matthias the Apostle") [Paul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle "Paul the Apostle") [Peter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter "Saint Peter") [Philip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_the_Apostle "Philip the Apostle") [Simon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_the_Zealot "Simon the Zealot") [Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_the_Apostle "Thomas the Apostle") |
| [Archangels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archangel "Archangel") | [Gabriel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel "Gabriel") [Michael](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_\(archangel\) "Michael (archangel)") [in the Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Michael_in_the_Catholic_Church "Saint Michael in the Catholic Church") [Raphael](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_\(archangel\) "Raphael (archangel)") |
| [Confessors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessor_of_the_Faith "Confessor of the Faith") | [Anatolius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolius_of_Laodicea "Anatolius of Laodicea") [Anthony of Kiev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_of_Kiev "Anthony of Kiev") [Athanasius the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_of_Alexandria "Athanasius of Alexandria") [Chariton the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariton_the_Confessor "Chariton the Confessor") [Carlo Acutis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Acutis "Carlo Acutis") [Dominic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dominic "Saint Dominic") [Edward the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_the_Confessor "Edward the Confessor") [Francis of Assisi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi "Francis of Assisi") [Francis Borgia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Borgia "Francis Borgia") [Homobonus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Homobonus "Saint Homobonus") [John Vianney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Vianney "John Vianney") [Lazarus Zographos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_Zographos "Lazarus Zographos") [Louis Bertrand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Bertrand_\(saint\) "Louis Bertrand (saint)") [Martin de Porres](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_de_Porres "Martin de Porres") [Martin of Tours](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_of_Tours "Martin of Tours") [Maximus the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximus_the_Confessor "Maximus the Confessor") [Michael of Synnada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_of_Synnada "Michael of Synnada") [Paphnutius the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paphnutius_of_Thebes "Paphnutius of Thebes") [Paul I of Constantinople](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_I_of_Constantinople "Paul I of Constantinople") [Peter Claver](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Claver "Peter Claver") [Pier Giorgio Frassati](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier_Giorgio_Frassati "Pier Giorgio Frassati") [Salonius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salonius "Salonius") [Sergius of Radonezh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergius_of_Radonezh "Sergius of Radonezh") [Theophanes the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophanes_the_Confessor "Theophanes the Confessor") [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padre_Pio "Padre Pio") |
| [Disciples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disciple_\(Christianity\) "Disciple (Christianity)") | [Apollos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollos "Apollos") [Mary of Bethany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_of_Bethany "Mary of Bethany") [Mary Magdalene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Magdalene "Mary Magdalene") [Priscilla and Aquila](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscilla_and_Aquila "Priscilla and Aquila") [Silvanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silas "Silas") [Stephen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Stephen "Saint Stephen") [Timothy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Timothy "Saint Timothy") [Titus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Titus "Saint Titus") [Seventy disciples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventy_disciples "Seventy disciples") |
| [Doctors of the Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_the_Church "Doctor of the Church") | [Gregory the Great](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_I "Pope Gregory I") [Ambrose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrose "Ambrose") [Augustine of Hippo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo "Augustine of Hippo") [Jerome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome "Jerome") [John Chrysostom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chrysostom "John Chrysostom") [Basil of Caesarea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_Caesarea "Basil of Caesarea") [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_of_Nazianzus "Gregory of Nazianzus") [Athanasius of Alexandria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_of_Alexandria "Athanasius of Alexandria") [Cyril of Alexandria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_of_Alexandria "Cyril of Alexandria") [Cyril of Jerusalem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_of_Jerusalem "Cyril of Jerusalem") [John of Damascus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Damascus "John of Damascus") [Bede the Venerable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede "Bede") [Ephrem the Syrian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephrem_the_Syrian "Ephrem the Syrian") [Thomas Aquinas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas "Thomas Aquinas") [Bonaventure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonaventure "Bonaventure") [Anselm of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anselm_of_Canterbury "Anselm of Canterbury") [Isidore of Seville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isidore_of_Seville "Isidore of Seville") [Peter Chrysologus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Chrysologus "Peter Chrysologus") [Leo the Great](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_I "Pope Leo I") [Peter Damian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Damian "Peter Damian") [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_of_Clairvaux "Bernard of Clairvaux") [Hilary of Poitiers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilary_of_Poitiers "Hilary of Poitiers") [Alphonsus Liguori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonsus_Liguori "Alphonsus Liguori") [Francis de Sales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_de_Sales "Francis de Sales") [Peter Canisius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Canisius "Peter Canisius") [John of the Cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_the_Cross "John of the Cross") [Robert Bellarmine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bellarmine "Robert Bellarmine") [Albertus Magnus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertus_Magnus "Albertus Magnus") [Anthony of Padua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_of_Padua "Anthony of Padua") [Lawrence of Brindisi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_of_Brindisi "Lawrence of Brindisi") [Teresa of Ávila](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_of_%C3%81vila "Teresa of Ávila") [Catherine of Siena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Siena "Catherine of Siena") [Thérèse of Lisieux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9r%C3%A8se_of_Lisieux "Thérèse of Lisieux") [John of Ávila](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_%C3%81vila "John of Ávila") [Hildegard of Bingen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen "Hildegard of Bingen") [Gregory of Narek](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_of_Narek "Gregory of Narek") [Irenaeus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irenaeus "Irenaeus") [John Henry Newman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Newman "John Henry Newman") |
| [Evangelists](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Evangelists "Four Evangelists") | [Matthew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_the_Apostle "Matthew the Apostle") [Mark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_the_Evangelist "Mark the Evangelist") [Luke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_the_Evangelist "Luke the Evangelist") [John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Evangelist "John the Evangelist") |
| [Church Fathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Fathers "Church Fathers") | [Alexander of Alexandria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Alexander_I_of_Alexandria "Pope Alexander I of Alexandria") [Alexander of Jerusalem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_of_Jerusalem "Alexander of Jerusalem") [Ambrose of Milan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrose "Ambrose") [Anatolius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolius_of_Laodicea "Anatolius of Laodicea") [Athanasius of Alexandria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_of_Alexandria "Athanasius of Alexandria") [Augustine of Hippo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo "Augustine of Hippo") [Caesarius of Arles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarius_of_Arles "Caesarius of Arles") [Caius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caius_\(presbyter\) "Caius (presbyter)") [Cappadocian Fathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadocian_Fathers "Cappadocian Fathers") [Clement of Alexandria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Alexandria "Clement of Alexandria") [Clement of Rome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Rome "Clement of Rome") [Cyprian of Carthage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprian "Cyprian") [Cyril of Alexandria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_of_Alexandria "Cyril of Alexandria") [Cyril of Jerusalem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_of_Jerusalem "Cyril of Jerusalem") [Damasus I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Damasus_I "Pope Damasus I") [Desert Fathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Fathers "Desert Fathers") [Desert Mothers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Mothers "Desert Mothers") [Dionysius of Alexandria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Dionysius_of_Alexandria "Pope Dionysius of Alexandria") [Dionysius of Corinth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysius_of_Corinth "Dionysius of Corinth") [Dionysius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Dionysius "Pope Dionysius") [Ephrem the Syrian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephrem_the_Syrian "Ephrem the Syrian") [Epiphanius of Salamis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphanius_of_Salamis "Epiphanius of Salamis") [Fulgentius of Ruspe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgentius_of_Ruspe "Fulgentius of Ruspe") [Gregory the Great](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_I "Pope Gregory I") [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_of_Nazianzus "Gregory of Nazianzus") [Gregory of Nyssa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_of_Nyssa "Gregory of Nyssa") [Hilary of Poitiers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilary_of_Poitiers "Hilary of Poitiers") [Hippolytus of Rome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolytus_of_Rome "Hippolytus of Rome") [Ignatius of Antioch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Antioch "Ignatius of Antioch") [Irenaeus of Lyon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irenaeus "Irenaeus") [Isaac of Armenia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_of_Armenia "Isaac of Armenia") [Isidore of Seville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isidore_of_Seville "Isidore of Seville") [Jerome of Stridonium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome "Jerome") [John Chrysostom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chrysostom "John Chrysostom") [John of Damascus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Damascus "John of Damascus") [John the Silent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Silent "John the Silent") [Maximus the Confessor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximus_the_Confessor "Maximus the Confessor") [Melito of Sardis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melito_of_Sardis "Melito of Sardis") [Quadratus of Athens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadratus_of_Athens "Quadratus of Athens") [Papias of Hierapolis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papias_of_Hierapolis "Papias of Hierapolis") [Peter Chrysologus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Chrysologus "Peter Chrysologus") [Polycarp of Smyrna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarp "Polycarp") [Theophilus of Antioch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophilus_of_Antioch "Theophilus of Antioch") [Victorinus of Pettau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorinus_of_Pettau "Victorinus of Pettau") [Vincent of Lérins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_of_L%C3%A9rins "Vincent of Lérins") [Zephyrinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Zephyrinus "Pope Zephyrinus") |
| [Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_martyr "Christian martyr") | [Abda and Abdisho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abda_and_Abdisho "Abda and Abdisho") [Agnes of Rome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_of_Rome "Agnes of Rome") [Anastasia of Sirmium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastasia_of_Sirmium "Anastasia of Sirmium") [Basilissa and Anastasia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilissa_and_Anastasia "Basilissa and Anastasia") [Boris and Gleb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_and_Gleb "Boris and Gleb") [Charles de Foucauld](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Foucauld "Charles de Foucauld") [Canadian Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Martyrs "Canadian Martyrs") [Carthusian Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthusian_Martyrs "Carthusian Martyrs") [Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Martyrs_of_Tlaxcala "Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala") [Christina of Persia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Persia "Christina of Persia") [Chrysolius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysolius "Chrysolius") [Dominguito del Val](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominguito_del_Val "Dominguito del Val") [Devasahayam Pillai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devasahayam_Pillai "Devasahayam Pillai") [Dismas the Good Thief](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penitent_thief "Penitent thief") [Emilianus of Trevi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilianus_of_Trevi "Emilianus of Trevi") [Felix and Regula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_and_Regula "Felix and Regula") [Forty Martyrs of England and Wales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty_Martyrs_of_England_and_Wales "Forty Martyrs of England and Wales") [Four Crowned Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Crowned_Martyrs "Four Crowned Martyrs") [Gerard of Csanád](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_of_Csan%C3%A1d "Gerard of Csanád") [Ignatius Maloyan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_Maloyan "Ignatius Maloyan") [The Holy Innocents](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Innocents "Massacre of the Innocents") [Irish Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Catholic_Martyrs "Irish Catholic Martyrs") [Januarius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Januarius "Januarius") [John Fisher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fisher "John Fisher") [Korean Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Martyrs "Korean Martyrs") [Lorenzo Ruiz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenzo_Ruiz "Lorenzo Ruiz") [Martyrs of Lübeck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BCbeck_martyrs "Lübeck martyrs") [Luigi Versiglia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Versiglia "Luigi Versiglia") [Martyrology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrology "Martyrology") [Martyrs of Albania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Albania "Martyrs of Albania") [Martyrs of Algeria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19_martyrs_of_Algeria "19 martyrs of Algeria") [Martyrs of Cajonos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Cajonos "Martyrs of Cajonos") [Martyrs of Compiègne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Compi%C3%A8gne "Martyrs of Compiègne") [Martyrs of Drina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessed_Martyrs_of_Drina "Blessed Martyrs of Drina") [Martyrs of China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyr_Saints_of_China "Martyr Saints of China") [Martyrs of Gorkum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Gorkum "Martyrs of Gorkum") [Martyrs of Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Japan "Martyrs of Japan") [21 Martyrs of Libya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_kidnapping_and_beheading_of_Copts_in_Libya "2015 kidnapping and beheading of Copts in Libya") [Martyrs of La Rioja](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_La_Rioja "Martyrs of La Rioja") [Martyrs of Damascus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Damascus "Martyrs of Damascus") [Martyrs of Laos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Laos "Martyrs of Laos") [Martyrs of Natal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Natal "Martyrs of Natal") [Martyrs of Otranto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Otranto "Martyrs of Otranto") [Martyrs of Prague](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Prague "Martyrs of Prague") [Martyrs of Sandomierz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadok_and_48_Dominican_martyrs_from_Sandomierz "Sadok and 48 Dominican martyrs from Sandomierz") [Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_the_Spanish_Civil_War "Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War") [Martyrs of Zenta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Zenta "Martyrs of Zenta") [Maximilian Kolbe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_Kolbe "Maximilian Kolbe") [Minias](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minias "Minias") [Óscar Romero](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93scar_Romero "Óscar Romero") [Parthenius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Parthenius "Saint Parthenius") [Pedro Calungsod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Calungsod "Pedro Calungsod") [Perpetua and Felicity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetua_and_Felicity "Perpetua and Felicity") [Peter Chanel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Chanel "Peter Chanel") [Pietro Parenzo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Parenzo "Pietro Parenzo") [Philomena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philomena "Philomena") [Saints of the Cristero War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saints_of_the_Cristero_War "Saints of the Cristero War") [Stephen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Stephen "Saint Stephen") [Sandukht](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Sandukht "Princess Sandukht") [Teresa Benedicta of the Cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Stein "Edith Stein") [Titus Brandsma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_Brandsma "Titus Brandsma") [17 Thomasian Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomasian_Martyrs "Thomasian Martyrs") [Thomas Becket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket "Thomas Becket") [Thomas More](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_More "Thomas More") [Three Martyrs of Chimbote](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Martyrs_of_Chimbote "Three Martyrs of Chimbote") [Ulma Family](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulma_family "Ulma family") [Uganda Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda_Martyrs "Uganda Martyrs") [Vietnamese Martyrs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_Martyrs "Vietnamese Martyrs") [Valentine of Rome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine "Saint Valentine") [Victor and Corona](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_and_Corona "Victor and Corona") [Zanitas and Lazarus of Persia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanitas_and_Lazarus_of_Persia "Zanitas and Lazarus of Persia") |
| [Missionaries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_missions "Catholic missions") | [Ansgar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansgar "Ansgar") [Augustine of Canterbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Canterbury "Augustine of Canterbury") [Boniface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Boniface "Saint Boniface") [Cyril and Methodius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_and_Methodius "Cyril and Methodius") [Damien of Molokai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Damien "Father Damien") [Evermode of Ratzeburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evermode_of_Ratzeburg "Evermode of Ratzeburg") [Francis Xavier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Xavier "Francis Xavier") [François de Laval](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_de_Laval "François de Laval") [Gregory the Illuminator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_the_Illuminator "Gregory the Illuminator") [Junípero Serra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jun%C3%ADpero_Serra "Junípero Serra") [Nino of Georgia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nino "Saint Nino") [Patrick of Ireland]() [Remigius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Remigius "Saint Remigius") [Sava of Serbia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Sava "Saint Sava") |
| [Patriarchs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarch "Patriarch") | [Adam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam "Adam") [Abel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cain_and_Abel "Cain and Abel") [Abraham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham "Abraham") [Isaac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac "Isaac") [Jacob](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob "Jacob") [Joseph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_\(Genesis\) "Joseph (Genesis)") [Joseph (father of Jesus)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph "Saint Joseph") [David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David "David") [Noah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah "Noah") [Solomon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon "Solomon") *[Matriarchs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matriarchs_\(Bible\) "Matriarchs (Bible)")* |
| [Popes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope "Pope") | [Adeodatus I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Adeodatus_I "Pope Adeodatus I") [Adeodatus II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Adeodatus_II "Pope Adeodatus II") [Adrian III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Adrian_III "Pope Adrian III") [Agapetus I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Agapetus_I "Pope Agapetus I") [Agatho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Agatho "Pope Agatho") [Alexander I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Alexander_I "Pope Alexander I") [Anacletus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Anacletus "Pope Anacletus") [Anastasius I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Anastasius_I "Pope Anastasius I") [Anicetus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Anicetus "Pope Anicetus") [Anterus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Anterus "Pope Anterus") [Benedict II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_II "Pope Benedict II") [Boniface I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Boniface_I "Pope Boniface I") [Boniface IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Boniface_IV "Pope Boniface IV") [Caius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Caius "Pope Caius") [Callixtus I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Callixtus_I "Pope Callixtus I") [Celestine I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Celestine_I "Pope Celestine I") [Celestine V](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Celestine_V "Pope Celestine V") [Clement I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Rome "Clement of Rome") [Cornelius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Cornelius "Pope Cornelius") [Damasus I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Damasus_I "Pope Damasus I") [Dionysius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Dionysius "Pope Dionysius") [Eleuterus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Eleutherius "Pope Eleutherius") [Eugene I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Eugene_I "Pope Eugene I") [Eusebius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Eusebius "Pope Eusebius") [Eutychian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Eutychian "Pope Eutychian") [Evaristus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Evaristus "Pope Evaristus") [Fabian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Fabian "Pope Fabian") [Felix I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Felix_I "Pope Felix I") [Felix III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Felix_III "Pope Felix III") [Felix IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Felix_IV "Pope Felix IV") [Gelasius I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gelasius_I "Pope Gelasius I") [Gregory I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_I "Pope Gregory I") [Gregory II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_II "Pope Gregory II") [Gregory III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_III "Pope Gregory III") [Gregory VII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_VII "Pope Gregory VII") [Hilarius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Hilarius "Pope Hilarius") [Hormisdas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Hormisdas "Pope Hormisdas") [Hyginus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Hyginus "Pope Hyginus") [Innocent I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Innocent_I "Pope Innocent I") [John I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_I "Pope John I") [John XXIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_XXIII "Pope John XXIII") [John Paul II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II "Pope John Paul II") [Julius I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Julius_I "Pope Julius I") [Leo I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_I "Pope Leo I") [Leo II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_II "Pope Leo II") [Leo III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_III "Pope Leo III") [Leo IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_IV "Pope Leo IV") [Leo IX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_IX "Pope Leo IX") [Linus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Linus "Pope Linus") [Lucius I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Lucius_I "Pope Lucius I") [Marcellinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Marcellinus "Pope Marcellinus") [Marcellus I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Marcellus_I "Pope Marcellus I") [Mark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Mark "Pope Mark") [Martin I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Martin_I "Pope Martin I") [Miltiades](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Miltiades "Pope Miltiades") [Nicholas I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Nicholas_I "Pope Nicholas I") [Paschal I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Paschal_I "Pope Paschal I") [Paul I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Paul_I "Pope Paul I") [Paul VI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Paul_VI "Pope Paul VI") [Peter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter "Saint Peter") [Pius I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_I "Pope Pius I") [Pius V](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_V "Pope Pius V") [Pius X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_X "Pope Pius X") [Pontian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pontian "Pope Pontian") [Sergius I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sergius_I "Pope Sergius I") [Silverius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Silverius "Pope Silverius") [Simplicius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Simplicius "Pope Simplicius") [Siricius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Siricius "Pope Siricius") [Sixtus I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sixtus_I "Pope Sixtus I") [Sixtus II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sixtus_II "Pope Sixtus II") [Sixtus III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sixtus_III "Pope Sixtus III") [Soter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Soter "Pope Soter") [Stephen I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Stephen_I "Pope Stephen I") [Stephen IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Stephen_IV "Pope Stephen IV") [Sylvester I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sylvester_I "Pope Sylvester I") [Symmachus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Symmachus "Pope Symmachus") [Telesphorus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Telesphorus "Pope Telesphorus") [Urban I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_I "Pope Urban I") [Victor I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Victor_I "Pope Victor I") [Vitalian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Vitalian "Pope Vitalian") [Zachary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Zachary "Pope Zachary") [Zephyrinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Zephyrinus "Pope Zephyrinus") [Zosimus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Zosimus "Pope Zosimus") |
| [Prophets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophets_of_Christianity "Prophets of Christianity") | [Agabus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agabus "Agabus") [Amos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_\(prophet\) "Amos (prophet)") [Anna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_the_Prophetess "Anna the Prophetess") [Baruch ben Neriah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_ben_Neriah "Baruch ben Neriah") [David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David "David") [Elijah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah "Elijah") [Ezekiel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezekiel "Ezekiel") [Habakkuk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habakkuk "Habakkuk") [Haggai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggai "Haggai") [Hosea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosea "Hosea") [Isaiah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaiah "Isaiah") [Jeremiah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah "Jeremiah") [Job](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_\(biblical_figure\) "Job (biblical figure)") [Joel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_\(prophet\) "Joel (prophet)") [John the Baptist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Baptist "John the Baptist") [Jonah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah "Jonah") [Judas Barsabbas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Barsabbas "Judas Barsabbas") [Malachi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachi "Malachi") [Melchizedek](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchizedek "Melchizedek") [Micah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micah_\(prophet\) "Micah (prophet)") [Moses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses "Moses") [Nahum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahum "Nahum") [Obadiah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obadiah "Obadiah") [Samuel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel "Samuel") [Seven Maccabees and their mother](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_with_seven_sons "Woman with seven sons") [Simeon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_\(Gospel_of_Luke\) "Simeon (Gospel of Luke)") [Zechariah (prophet)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_\(Hebrew_prophet\) "Zechariah (Hebrew prophet)") [Zechariah (NT)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_\(New_Testament_figure\) "Zechariah (New Testament figure)") [Zephaniah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephaniah "Zephaniah") |
| [Virgins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_\(title\) "Virgin (title)") | [Agatha of Sicily](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_of_Sicily "Agatha of Sicily") [Agnes of Rome](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_of_Rome "Agnes of Rome") [Angela of the Cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_of_the_Cross "Angela of the Cross") [Æthelthryth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelthryth "Æthelthryth") [Bernadette Soubirous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Soubirous "Bernadette Soubirous") [Catherine of Bologna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Bologna "Catherine of Bologna") [Brigid of Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigid_of_Kildare "Brigid of Kildare") [Catherine Labouré](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Labour%C3%A9 "Catherine Labouré") [Catherine of Siena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Siena "Catherine of Siena") [Cecilia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Cecilia "Saint Cecilia") [Clare of Assisi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_of_Assisi "Clare of Assisi") [Eulalia of Mérida](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eulalia_of_M%C3%A9rida "Eulalia of Mérida") [Euphemia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemia "Euphemia") [Faustina Kowalska](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustina_Kowalska "Faustina Kowalska") [Faustina and Liberata of Como](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustina_and_Liberata_of_Como "Faustina and Liberata of Como") [Genevieve](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genevieve "Genevieve") [Hiltrude of Liessies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiltrude_of_Liessies "Hiltrude of Liessies") [Joan of Arc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc "Joan of Arc") [Josephine Bakhita](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Bakhita "Josephine Bakhita") [Kateri Tekakwitha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kateri_Tekakwitha "Kateri Tekakwitha") [Lucy of Syracuse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy "Saint Lucy") [Maria Goretti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Goretti "Maria Goretti") [María de las Maravillas de Jesús](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_de_las_Maravillas_de_Jes%C3%BAs "María de las Maravillas de Jesús") [Narcisa de Jesús](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcisa_de_Jes%C3%BAs "Narcisa de Jesús") [Patricia of Naples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_of_Naples "Patricia of Naples") [Rosalia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Rosalia "Saint Rosalia") [Rose of Lima](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_of_Lima "Rose of Lima") [Teresa of the Andes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_of_the_Andes "Teresa of the Andes") [Teresa of Calcutta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa "Mother Teresa") [Trasilla and Emiliana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trasilla_and_Emiliana "Trasilla and Emiliana") [Ubaldesca Taccini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubaldesca_Taccini "Ubaldesca Taccini") |
| See also | [Calendar of saints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints "Calendar of saints") [Four Holy Marshals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Holy_Marshals "Four Holy Marshals") [Fourteen Holy Helpers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_Holy_Helpers "Fourteen Holy Helpers") [Great Martyr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_martyr "Great martyr") [Martyr of charity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyr_of_charity "Martyr of charity") [Military saints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_saint "Military saint") [Athleta Christi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athleta_Christi "Athleta Christi") [Miles Christianus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Christianus "Miles Christianus") [Church Militant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churches_Militant,_Penitent,_and_Triumphant "Churches Militant, Penitent, and Triumphant") [Seven Champions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Champions_of_Christendom "Seven Champions of Christendom") [Venerated couples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_venerated_couples "List of venerated couples") [Virtuous pagan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuous_pagan "Virtuous pagan") |
| [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:046CupolaSPietro.jpg) [Catholic Church portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Catholic_Church "Portal:Catholic Church")  [Saints portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Saints "Portal:Saints") | |
| [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Archbishops_of_Armagh "Template:Archbishops of Armagh") [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Archbishops_of_Armagh "Template talk:Archbishops of Armagh") [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Archbishops_of_Armagh "Special:EditPage/Template:Archbishops of Armagh")[Archbishops of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Armagh "Archbishop of Armagh") | |
|---|---|
| [Primate of All Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primate_of_All_Ireland "Primate of All Ireland") · [Catholic Church in Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Ireland "Catholic Church in Ireland") · [Archdiocese of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Armagh "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh") | |
| 5th–8th centuries | [Patrick]() [Sechnall mac Restituit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secundinus "Secundinus") Sen-Phátraic [Benén mac Sescnén](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benignus_of_Armagh "Benignus of Armagh") [Iarlaithe mac Treno](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iarlaithe_mac_Treno "Iarlaithe mac Treno") [Cormac](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormac_of_Armagh "Cormac of Armagh") [Dubthach the First](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubthach_the_First "Dubthach the First") [Ailill the First](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailill_the_First "Ailill the First") [Ailill the Second](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailill_the_Second "Ailill the Second") [Dubthach the Second](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubthach_the_Second "Dubthach the Second") [Fiachra mac Colmain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiachra_mac_Colmain "Fiachra mac Colmain") [Fedelmid Find](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fedelmid_Find "Fedelmid Find") [Carláen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl%C3%A1en "Carláen") [Eochu macDiarmaid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eochu_macDiarmaid "Eochu macDiarmaid") [Senach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senach "Senach") [Mac Laisre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Laisre "Mac Laisre") [Tómméne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%B3mm%C3%A9ne "Tómméne") [Ségéne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A9g%C3%A9ne "Ségéne") [Fland Feblae mac Scandláin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fland_Feblae_mac_Scandl%C3%A1in "Fland Feblae mac Scandláin") [Suibne mac Crundmaíl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Suibne "Saint Suibne") [Congus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congus "Congus") |
| Abbots 8th–12th centuries | [Célé Petair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9l%C3%A9_Petair "Célé Petair") [Fer dá Chrích mac Suibni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fer_d%C3%A1_Chr%C3%ADch_mac_Suibni "Fer dá Chrích mac Suibni") [Cú Dínaisc mac Conasaig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%BA_D%C3%ADnaisc_mac_Conasaig "Cú Dínaisc mac Conasaig") Dub dá Leithe I mac Sínaig Fóendelach mac Móenaig Airechtach ua Fáeláin Fóendelach mac Móenaig (second) Gormgal mac Dindataig Condmach mac Duib dá Leithe Torbach mac Gormáin Toicthech Ua Tigernaig [Nuadu of Loch Uama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuadu_of_Loch_Uama "Nuadu of Loch Uama") Flandgus mac Loingsig Artrí mac Conchobair Suibne mac Forandáin Eógan Mainistrech mac Ainbthig Forindán mac Murgile [Diarmait ua Tigernáin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diarmait_ua_Tigern%C3%A1in "Diarmait ua Tigernáin") Cathassach Féthgno mac Nechtain Máel Cobo mac Crundmaíl Ainmere ua Fáeláin Máel Cobo mac Crundmaíl (second) Cathassach mac Robartaig [Máel Brigte mac Tornáin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1el_Brigte_mac_Torn%C3%A1in "Máel Brigte mac Tornáin") Ioseph mac Fathaig Máel Pátraic mac Máel Tuile Cathassach mac Doilgén Muiredach mac Fergussa Dub dá Leithe II mac Cellaig Muirecén mac Ciaracáin Máel Muire mac Eochada Amalgaid mac Máel Muire [Dub dá Leithe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dub_d%C3%A1_Leithe "Dub dá Leithe") III Máel Muire Cummascach Ua hErodáin Máel Ísu mac Amalgada Domnall mac Amalgada [Cellach of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellach_of_Armagh "Cellach of Armagh") Muirchertach mac Domnall Niall mac Áeda meic Máel Ísu |
| Bishops 8th–12th centuries | Affiath [Nuadu of Loch Uama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuadu_of_Loch_Uama "Nuadu of Loch Uama") Artrí mac Conchobair Forindán mac Murgile Máel Pátraic mac Findchon Féthgno mac Nechtain Cathassach mac Robartaig Mochtae daltae Féthgno Máel Aithgin Cellach mac Sóergussa Máel Ciaráin mac Eochocáin Ioseph mac Fathaig Máel Pátraic mac Máel Tuile Cathassach mac Doilgén Cathassach mac Murchadáin Máel Muire mac Scandláinn Airmedach mac Coscraig Cenn Fáelad Sabaill Máel Tuile [Áed Ua Forréid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81ed_Ua_Forr%C3%A9id "Áed Ua Forréid") Máel Pátraic mac Airmedaig Cáenchomrac Ua Baigill Máel Coluim Ua Broicháin Máel Brigte Ua Broicháin Amlaim Ua Muirethaig |
| Archbishops 12th–16th centuries | [Cellach of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellach_of_Armagh "Cellach of Armagh") [Malachy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Malachy "Saint Malachy") Gilla Meic Liac mac Diarmata [Cornelius of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_of_Armagh "Cornelius of Armagh") Gilla in Choimded Ua Caráin [Tommaltach Ua Conchobair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommaltach_Ua_Conchobair "Tommaltach Ua Conchobair") [Mael Ísu Ua Cerbaill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mael_%C3%8Dsu_Ua_Cerbaill "Mael Ísu Ua Cerbaill") [Tommaltach Ua Conchobair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommaltach_Ua_Conchobair "Tommaltach Ua Conchobair") (second) Echdonn Mac Gilla Uidir [Luke Netterville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Netterville_\(priest\) "Luke Netterville (priest)") [Donatus Ó Fidabra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donatus_%C3%93_Fidabra "Donatus Ó Fidabra") *Robert Archer* [Albert Suerbeer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Suerbeer "Albert Suerbeer") [Reginald of Bologna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_of_Bologna "Reginald of Bologna") Abraham Ó Conalláin [Máel Patraic Ua Scannail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1el_Patraic_Ua_Scannail "Máel Patraic Ua Scannail") Nicol Mac Máel Ísu Michael MacLochlainn *Dionysius* John Taaffe Walter Jorz [Roland Jorz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Jorz "Roland Jorz") Stephen Seagrave David Mág Oireachtaigh [Richard FitzRalph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_FitzRalph "Richard FitzRalph") [Milo Sweetman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milo_Sweetman "Milo Sweetman") Thomas Ó Calmáin [John Colton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Colton_\(bishop\) "John Colton (bishop)") Nicholas Fleming *[Richard Talbot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Talbot_\(archbishop_of_Dublin\) "Richard Talbot (archbishop of Dublin)")* John Swayne [John Prene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Prene "John Prene") John Mey John Bole John Foxalls Edmund Connesburgh [Ottaviano Spinelli de Palatio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavian_De_Spinellis "Octavian De Spinellis") [John Kite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kite "John Kite") [George Cromer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Cromer "George Cromer") [Robert Wauchope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wauchope_\(bishop\) "Robert Wauchope (bishop)") [George Dowdall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dowdall "George Dowdall") |
| Archbishops 16th–21st centuries | [Donagh O'Tighe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donagh_O%27Tighe "Donagh O'Tighe") [Richard Creagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Creagh "Richard Creagh") [Edmund MacGauran](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_MacGauran "Edmund MacGauran") [Peter Lombard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lombard_\(archbishop_of_Armagh\) "Peter Lombard (archbishop of Armagh)") [Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aodh_Mac_Cathmhaoil "Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil") [Hugh O'Reilly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_O%27Reilly_\(Archbishop_of_Armagh\) "Hugh O'Reilly (Archbishop of Armagh)") [Edmund O'Reilly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_O%27Reilly_\(bishop\) "Edmund O'Reilly (bishop)") [Oliver Plunkett](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Plunkett "Oliver Plunkett") [Dominic Maguire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_Maguire_\(bishop\) "Dominic Maguire (bishop)") [Hugh MacMahon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_MacMahon "Hugh MacMahon") [Bernard MacMahon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_MacMahon_\(Irish_bishop\) "Bernard MacMahon (Irish bishop)") [Ross MacMahon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_MacMahon "Ross MacMahon") [Michael O'Reilly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_O%27Reilly_\(prelate\) "Michael O'Reilly (prelate)") [Anthony Blake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Blake_\(bishop\) "Anthony Blake (bishop)") [Richard O'Reilly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_O%27Reilly "Richard O'Reilly") [Patrick Curtis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Curtis_\(bishop\) "Patrick Curtis (bishop)") [Thomas Kelly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kelly_\(archbishop_of_Armagh\) "Thomas Kelly (archbishop of Armagh)") [William Crolly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Crolly "William Crolly") [Paul Cullen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cullen_\(bishop\) "Paul Cullen (bishop)") [Joseph Dixon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Dixon_\(bishop\) "Joseph Dixon (bishop)") [Michael Kieran](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kieran "Michael Kieran") [Daniel McGettigan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_McGettigan "Daniel McGettigan") [Michael Logue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Logue "Michael Logue") [Patrick O'Donnell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_O%27Donnell_\(cardinal\) "Patrick O'Donnell (cardinal)") [Joseph MacRory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_MacRory "Joseph MacRory") [John D'Alton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D%27Alton "John D'Alton") [William Conway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Conway_\(bishop\) "William Conway (bishop)") [Tomás Ó Fiaich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom%C3%A1s_%C3%93_Fiaich "Tomás Ó Fiaich") [Cahal Daly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahal_Daly "Cahal Daly") [Seán Brady](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_Brady_\(bishop\) "Seán Brady (bishop)") [Eamon Martin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eamon_Martin "Eamon Martin") |
| *Italics* indicate a person who was elected but not consecrated. | |
[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals "Wikipedia:Contents/Portals"):
-  [Saints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Saints "Portal:Saints")
-  [Biography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography "Portal:Biography")
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:046CupolaSPietro.jpg) [Catholicism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Catholicism "Portal:Catholicism")
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Four_Provinces_Flag.svg) [Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Ireland "Portal:Ireland")
| [Authority control databases](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Authority_control "Help:Authority control") [](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165479#identifiers "Edit this at Wikidata") | |
|---|---|
| International | [ISNI](https://isni.org/isni/0000000374368847) [VIAF](https://viaf.org/viaf/122169573) [2](https://viaf.org/viaf/267388786) [3](https://viaf.org/viaf/250984346) [4](https://viaf.org/viaf/1144647633449521549) [5](https://viaf.org/viaf/1360168049025838410003) [6](https://viaf.org/viaf/6742167867522023060004) [7](https://viaf.org/viaf/477146998396718941518) [8](https://viaf.org/viaf/4550167931790929520009) [GND](https://d-nb.info/gnd/118641514) [FAST](https://id.worldcat.org/fast/59117) [WorldCat](https://id.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PCjBKB3yFcPgQ66HDxg3Kbb) |
| National | [United States](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n80104029) [France](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11918774g) [BnF data](https://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11918774g) [Italy](https://opac.sbn.it/nome/CFIV061990) [Czech Republic](https://aleph.nkp.cz/F/?func=find-c&local_base=aut&ccl_term=ica=jn20000701379&CON_LNG=ENG) [Netherlands](http://data.bibliotheken.nl/id/thes/p174694156) [Norway](https://authority.bibsys.no/authority/rest/authorities/html/90372750) [Croatia](http://katalog.nsk.hr/F/?func=direct&doc_number=000363118&local_base=nsk10) [Greece](https://catalogue.nlg.gr/cgi-bin/koha/opac-authoritiesdetail.pl?authid=95656) [Sweden](https://libris.kb.se/sq467mdb3jknm68) [Poland](https://dbn.bn.org.pl/descriptor-details/9810703175305606) [Vatican](https://wikidata-externalid-url.toolforge.org/?p=8034&url_prefix=https://opac.vatlib.it/auth/detail/&id=495/29856) [Israel](https://www.nli.org.il/en/authorities/987007266343605171) [Finland](https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:au:finaf:000109117) [Catalonia](https://cantic.bnc.cat/registre/981058513553206706) |
| Academics | [CiNii](https://ci.nii.ac.jp/author/DA04331178?l=en) [2](https://ci.nii.ac.jp/author/DA03953616?l=en) |
| People | [Trove](https://trove.nla.gov.au/people/1527581) [Ireland](https://doi.org/10.3318/dib.007225.v1) [LibraryThing](https://www.librarything.com/author/patricksaint) [Deutsche Biographie](https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/118641514.html?language=en) [DDB](https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/person/gnd/118641514) |
| Other | [IdRef](https://www.idref.fr/02706025X) [Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL196098A?mode=all) [SNAC](https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6c0702s) [2](https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6ng4ntp) [Yale LUX](https://lux.collections.yale.edu/view/person/a566a5cf-0f0e-444d-bf33-ac9f4df5b3b5) |
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Saint Patrick
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| Readable Markdown | | [Saint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint "Saint")Patrick | |
|---|---|
| [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_Patrick_Catholic_Church_\(Junction_City,_Ohio\)_-_stained_glass,_Saint_Patrick_-_detail.jpg)[Stained-glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stained-glass "Stained-glass") window of Saint Patrick from Saint Patrick Catholic Church, [Junction City, Ohio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junction_City,_Ohio "Junction City, Ohio"), United States | |
| Bishop and Confessor "Apostle of Ireland" | |
| Born | [Britain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Roman_Britain "Sub-Roman Britain") |
| Died | Mid-fifth to early-sixth century [Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ireland_\(400%E2%80%93800\) "History of Ireland (400–800)") |
| Resting place | [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick") |
| Venerated in | [Catholicism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church "Catholic Church") [Eastern Orthodoxy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church "Eastern Orthodox Church") [Oriental Orthodoxy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Orthodox_Churches "Oriental Orthodox Churches") [Lutheranism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheran_Church "Lutheran Church") [Anglicanism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Communion "Anglican Communion") |
| Major [shrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine "Shrine") | Downpatrick, [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick") |
| [Feast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints "Calendar of saints") | 17 March ([Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day")) |
| [Attributes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_symbolism "Saint symbolism") | Crozier, mitre, holding a [shamrock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock "Shamrock"), carrying a cross, repelling [snakes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes "Snakes"), [green colour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green "Green") |
| [Patronage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patron_saint "Patron saint") | Ireland, [Nigeria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria "Nigeria"), [Montserrat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montserrat "Montserrat"), [Archdiocese of New York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_New_York "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York"), [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Newark "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark"), [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Los_Angeles "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles"), [Boston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston "Boston"), [Rolla, Missouri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolla,_Missouri "Rolla, Missouri"), [Loíza, Puerto Rico](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo%C3%ADza,_Puerto_Rico "Loíza, Puerto Rico"), [Murcia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murcia "Murcia") (Spain), [Clann Giolla Phádraig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Giolla_Ph%C3%A1draig "Mac Giolla Phádraig"), [engineers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer "Engineer"), [paralegals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralegal "Paralegal"), [Archdiocese of Adelaide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Adelaide "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide"), [Archdiocese of Melbourne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Melbourne "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne"); invoked against snakes, [sins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin "Sin")[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-saint_index-1) |
**Saint Patrick**[\[a\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-2) was a fifth-century [Romano-British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romano-British_culture "Romano-British culture") Christian [missionary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary "Missionary") and [bishop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Armagh "Archbishop of Armagh") in [Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_Ireland "Gaelic Ireland"). Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary [patron saint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patron_saint "Patron saint") of [Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland "Ireland"), the other patron saints being [Brigid of Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigid_of_Kildare "Brigid of Kildare") and [Columba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba "Columba"). He is also the patron saint of [Nigeria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria "Nigeria").[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-3) Patrick is venerated as a saint in the [Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church "Catholic Church"), the [Church of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Ireland "Church of Ireland") (part of the [Anglican Communion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Communion "Anglican Communion")), [Lutheranism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism "Lutheranism"), and in the [Eastern Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church "Eastern Orthodox Church"), where he is regarded as [equal-to-the-apostles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-to-apostles "Equal-to-apostles") and Enlightener of Ireland.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-4)[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-RitschelMichallon2022-5)
The dates of Patrick's life cannot be fixed with certainty, but there is general agreement that he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the fifth century. Two Latin writings by Patrick survive: the *Confessio* and the *Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus*. Patrick writes that when he was sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Britain and taken as a [slave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_medieval_Europe "Slavery in medieval Europe") to Ireland. He writes that he lived there for six years as a [herder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herder "Herder") before escaping and returning to his family. After studying for many years, probably in [Gaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaul "Gaul"), he returned to spread Christianity in Ireland. As a bishop, Patrick converted "thousands" and ordained many priests. Years later, he was summoned to Britain by church leaders to answer various accusations. Patrick issued a lengthy and personal statement denying the accusations and defending himself, which became the *Confessio*.
The earliest [hagiographies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographies "Hagiographies") of Patrick were written in the seventh century by [Muirchú](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni") and [Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán"). By this time, he had come to be revered as a patron saint of Ireland. According to tradition, Patrick was the first [bishop of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_of_Armagh "Bishop of Armagh") and [Primate of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primacy_of_Ireland "Primacy of Ireland"), and is credited with bringing [Christianity to Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Christianity_in_Ireland "History of Christianity in Ireland") (despite evidence of some earlier Christian presence), converting the people from [paganism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Celtic_religion "Ancient Celtic religion").[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-6) There are many legends about Patrick, such as him using a [shamrock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock "Shamrock") to symbolize the [Trinity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity "Trinity"), banishing snakes and demons from Ireland, and fasting on a mountaintop.
[Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day"), considered his feast day, is observed on 17 March, the supposed date of his death. It is celebrated in Ireland and among the [Irish diaspora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_diaspora "Irish diaspora") as a religious and cultural holiday. In the [Catholic Church in Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Ireland "Catholic Church in Ireland"), it is both a [solemnity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solemnity "Solemnity") and a [holy day of obligation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_day_of_obligation "Holy day of obligation").
Sources
Two [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin "Latin") works survive which are generally accepted as having been written by St. Patrick: the *Declaration* ([Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language "Latin language"): *Confessio*)[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-7) and the *Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus* ([Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language "Latin language"): *Epistola*),[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-8) from which come the only generally accepted details of his life.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-9) The *Declaration* is the more biographical of the two. In it, Patrick gives a short account of his life and his mission. Most available details of his life are from subsequent [hagiographies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographies "Hagiographies") and [annals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_annals "Irish annals"), which have considerable value but lack the [empiricism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricism "Empiricism") scholars depend on today.[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-10)
Name
The only name that Patrick uses for himself in his own writings is Pātricius (Latin pronunciation: [\[paːˈtrɪ.ki.ʊs\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Latin "Help:IPA/Latin")), which gives [Old Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irish_language "Old Irish language"): *Pátraic* Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish") and [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language"): *Pádraig* (Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish") or Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish")); English *Patrick*; [Scottish Gaelic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Gaelic_language "Scottish Gaelic language"): *Pàdraig*; [Welsh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_language "Welsh language"): *Padrig*; [Cornish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_language "Cornish language"): *Petroc*.
[Hagiography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiography "Hagiography") records other names he is said to have borne. [Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán")'s seventh-century *Collectanea* gives "Magonus, that is, famous; Succetus, that is, god of war; Patricius, that is, father of the citizens; Cothirthiacus, because he served four houses of druids."[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Dumville90-11) "Magonus" appears in the ninth-century *[Historia Brittonum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_Brittonum "Historia Brittonum")* as *Maun*, descending from British *\*Magunos*, meaning "servant-lad".[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Dumville90-11) "Succetus", which also appears in [Muirchú moccu Machtheni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni")'s seventh-century *Life* as *Sochet*,[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Dumville90-11) is identified by Mac Neill as "a word of British origin meaning swineherd".[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-EMN-12) Cothirthiacus also appears as *Cothraige* in the 8th-century biographical poem known as *Fiacc's Hymn* and a variety of other spellings elsewhere, and is taken to represent a [Primitive Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_Irish_language "Primitive Irish language"): \**Qatrikias*, although this is disputed. Harvey argues that *Cothraige* "has the form of a classic Old Irish tribal (and therefore place-) name", noting that *Ail Coithrigi* is a name for the [Rock of Cashel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Cashel "Rock of Cashel"), and the place-names *Cothrugu* and *Catrige* are attested in Counties [Antrim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Antrim "County Antrim") and [Carlow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Carlow "County Carlow").[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-13)
Muirchú summarizes that these four names correspond to Patrick's different roles at different periods of this life: "Patrick son of Calforni(us) had four names: Sochet when he was born, Cothriche when he was a slave, Mauonius when he studied, Patrick when he was consecrated."[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-14)
Dating
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gravestone_of_St._Patrick,_Downpatrick_2018-07-25.jpg)
The reputed burial place of Saint Patrick in [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick")
The dates of Patrick's life are uncertain; there are conflicting traditions regarding the year of his death. His own writings provide no evidence for any dating more precise than the 5th century generally. His Biblical quotations are a mixture of the [Old Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vetus_Latina "Vetus Latina") version and the [Vulgate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgate "Vulgate"), completed in the early 5th century, suggesting he was writing "at the point of transition from Old Latin to Vulgate",[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-15) although it is possible the Vulgate readings may have been added later, replacing earlier readings.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-16) The *Letter to Coroticus* implies that the [Franks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franks "Franks") were still pagans at the time of writing;[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26-17) their conversion to Christianity is dated to the period 496–508.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-18)
The [Irish annals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_annals "Irish annals") date Patrick's arrival in Ireland at 432, but they were compiled in the mid-6th century at the earliest.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26-17) The date 432 was probably chosen to minimise the contribution of [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)"), who was known to have been sent to Ireland in 431, and maximise that of Patrick.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Byrne78%E2%80%9379-19) A variety of dates are given for his death. In 457 "the elder Patrick" ([Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language"): *Patraic Sen*) is said to have died: this may refer to the death of Palladius, who according to the *[Book of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Armagh "Book of Armagh")* was also called Patrick.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Byrne78%E2%80%9379-19) In 461/2 the annals say that "Here some record the repose of Patrick";[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Henny-20): 19 in 492/3 they record the death of "Patrick, the arch-apostle (or archbishop and apostle) of the Scoti", on 17 March, at the age of 120.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Henny-20): 31
While some modern historians[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-21) accept the earlier date of c. 460 for Patrick's death, scholars of early Irish history tend to prefer a later date, c. 493. Supporting the later date, the annals record that in 553 "the relics of Patrick were placed *sixty years after his death* in a shrine by [Colum Cille](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colum_Cille "Colum Cille")" (emphasis added).[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Paor121-122-22) The death of Patrick's disciple [Mochta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochta "Mochta") is dated in the annals to 535 or 537,[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Paor121-122-22)[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-23) and the early hagiographies "all bring Patrick into contact with persons whose obits occur at the end of the fifth century or the beginning of the sixth".[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Byrne80-24) However, [E. A. Thompson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._A._Thompson "E. A. Thompson") considers that none of the dates given for Patrick's death in the Annals are reliable.[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-25) A recent biography suggests that a late fifth-century date for the saint is not impossible.[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-26): 34–35
Life
Early life and captivity
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:End.of.Roman.rule.in.Britain.383.410.jpg)
Late Roman Britain
Patrick was born in [Britain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Britain "Roman Britain") at the [end of Roman rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_Roman_rule_in_Britain "End of Roman rule in Britain"). He came from a family of [Romano-Britons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romano-British_culture "Romano-British culture"), i.e. Romanized [Celtic Britons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Britons "Celtic Britons"). He would have spoken [British Celtic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Brittonic "Common Brittonic") as his mother tongue, the [Irish language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Irish_language "History of the Irish language"), and some [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Latin "British Latin").[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-27) In his *Confessio*, Patrick writes that his father, Calpurnius, was a [decurion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decurion_\(administrative\) "Decurion (administrative)") (senator and tax collector) of an unnamed Romano-British town, and also a [deacon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deacon "Deacon") in the [Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Roman_Britain "Christianity in Roman Britain"); his grandfather Potitus was a [priest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priest "Priest").[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-28) However, Patrick writes that he was not religious in his youth, and considered himself in that period to be "idle and callow".[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:1-29)
His birthplace is not known with any certainty, but it is believed to be near the [Irish Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Sea "Irish Sea") (as he was captured by Irish pirates) and near a large Roman town (as his father was a decurion).[\[29\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-30) Patrick writes that his family hailed from the *[vicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicus "Vicus")* of *Bannavem Taburniae*, and that his father had a small *[villa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_villa "Roman villa")* nearby. Several places have been proposed. One is the Roman fort [Banna (Birdoswald)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banna_\(Birdoswald\) "Banna (Birdoswald)") on [Hadrian's Wall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadrian%27s_Wall "Hadrian's Wall"), which is near [Luguvalium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luguvalium "Luguvalium") ([Carlisle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlisle "Carlisle")) in [Cumbria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbria "Cumbria").[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:2-31)[\[31\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-32) Another is [Banwen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banwen "Banwen") in south Wales,[\[32\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-33) which was the site of a Roman marching camp.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-34) The [West Country](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Country "West Country") has also been proposed;[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-35) particularly [Banwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banwell "Banwell")\-Wint Hill,[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-36) and [Avonmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avonmouth "Avonmouth"),[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Avonmouth-37) both in [Somerset](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset "Somerset"). It has been suggested that the last part of *Bannavem Taburniae* refers to the [Severn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Severn "River Severn") (*Sabrina*)[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Avonmouth-37) or that it is made up of the Celtic *banna* (promontory) *venta* (town) and *berniae* (a pass or gap).[\[37\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-38) The Roman town of [Bannaventa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bannaventa "Bannaventa") in Northamptonshire is phonically similar to the name Patrick gave, but is probably too far from the sea.[\[38\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-39) Muirchú's 7th century *Life* of Patrick says that he was born at a place called *Nemthor*, which in the following centuries was identified with a place near [Dumbarton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton_Rock "Dumbarton Rock") in [Strathclyde](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Strathclyde "Kingdom of Strathclyde").[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-40) Nearby is [Kilpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Kilpatrick "Old Kilpatrick"), another proposed birthplace.[\[40\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-MoranCite-41)
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ballymena_St._Patrick%27s_Church_W15_%E2%80%9CPatrick_the_Enslaved_on_Slemish%E2%80%9D_2014_09_15.jpg)
A stained-glass window in St Patrick's Church, [Ballymena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballymena "Ballymena"), showing him as a shepherd near [Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish") mountain
According to his *Confession*, he was captured at the age of sixteen from his family's villa at *Bannavem Taburniae* by a group of Irish pirates.[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-ccel.org-42) They took him to Ireland where he was enslaved and held captive for six years. Patrick writes in the *Confession* that the time he spent in captivity was critical to his spiritual growth. He says that God gave him the opportunity to be forgiven his sins and to grow in his faith through prayer.[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-ccel.org-42)
As a slave, Patrick worked as a herder and was introduced to the Irish culture that would define his life and reputation.[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:1-29) Patrick does not say where in Ireland he worked.[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) However, in his *Confessio*, he recounts a dream he had many years later, where the people near "the wood of [Foclut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foclut "Foclut")" (*silva Focluti* or *Vocluti*), which is "next to the western sea", beseech him to "come and walk again amongst us".[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) This suggests that Foclut was in the area of his captivity.[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) Patrick writes that after six years of captivity, he heard a voice telling him that he would soon go home, and then that his ship was ready. Fleeing his master, he travelled 200 [Roman miles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_mile "Roman mile") (about 188 statute miles or 300 km) to a port, presumably on the eastern or southern coast,[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) where he found a ship and persuaded the captain to take him aboard.[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-44) It is generally believed that Foclut refers to Foghill (*Fochoill*, meaning "under-wood") near [Killala Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killala_Bay "Killala Bay") in [Connacht](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Connacht "Kingdom of Connacht").[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43)[\[44\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-45) However, Patrick's hagiographer Muirchú said it was in the area of [Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish") mountain (*Sliabh Mis*) in [Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulaid "Ulaid").[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46)
Patrick says that they sailed for three days before reaching land. The likelihood that they set sail from the eastern or southern coast, and the length of the journey, suggests that they may have sailed to [Gaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaul "Gaul"), perhaps [Armorica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armorica "Armorica").[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas-43) All apparently disembarked and then walked for 28 days in a "wilderness", becoming faint from hunger. Patrick prayed for sustenance, and about the sixteenth day, they came upon a herd of [wild boar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_boar "Wild boar") and were able to feed themselves. Eventually they reached civilization.[\[46\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-47) Patrick's account of his escape from slavery is recounted in his *Confessio*.[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:0-48)
Return to Britain and education
After a few years (*paucos annos*), Patrick says he returned home to his family in Britain, now in his early twenties.[\[48\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-49) Patrick then began his ecclesiastical training. Muirchú says that Patrick studied at [Auxerre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxerre "Auxerre") in central Gaul for thirty years.[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46) [J. B. Bury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._Bury "J. B. Bury") suggests that [Amator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amator "Amator") ordained Patrick to the diaconate at Auxerre.[\[49\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-50) It is suggested that [Saint Germanus of Auxerre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Germanus_of_Auxerre "Saint Germanus of Auxerre"), a bishop of the [Western Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity "Western Christianity"), ordained him to the priesthood,[\[50\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-51) while [Maximus of Turin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximus_of_Turin "Maximus of Turin") is said to have consecrated him as bishop.[\[51\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Moran-52) However, Tírechán says that Patrick studied for thirty years at [Lérins Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9rins_Abbey "Lérins Abbey") off the south coast of Gaul.[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46)
Patrick recounts that he had a vision a few years after returning home:
> I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish" (*Vox Hiberionacum*). As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of [Foclut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foclut "Foclut"), which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us."[\[52\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-53)
A.B.E. Hood suggests that the Victoricus of St. Patrick's vision may be identified with Saint [Victricius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victricius "Victricius"), bishop of [Rouen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen "Rouen") in the late fourth century, who had visited Britain in an official capacity in 396.[\[53\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-54) However, Ludwig Bieler disagrees.[\[54\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-55)
Patrick writes in his *Epistola* that he was a bishop established in Ireland, and that he had sold his "nobility ... for the sake of others". It is presumed that the church in Britain sent Patrick to be a bishop for part of Ireland, with Papal approval, and that he had sold his late father's estate to raise funds for the Irish bishopric.[\[55\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-56)
Mission in Ireland
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ireland%27s_crown_of_thorns_and_roses;_or,_The_best_of_her_history_by_the_best_of_her_writers,_a_series_of_historical_narratives_that_read_as_entertainingly_as_a_novel_\(1904\)_\(14754489376\).jpg)
"Patrick going to [Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Tara "Hill of Tara")", illustration from a 1904 book
Patrick returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary.[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-ccel.org-42) According to Muirchú, he landed at *Inber Dea* in [Cualu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cualu "Cualu") (now [Arklow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arklow "Arklow") in [County Wicklow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Wicklow "County Wicklow")).[\[56\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Bury81-57) Muirchú says that Patrick then decided to travel north to convert his former master, Miliuc of [Dál mBuinne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1l_mBuinne "Dál mBuinne"), and to buy his freedom.[\[57\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-58) He rested at [an island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Island "St Patrick's Island") later named after him, before sailing north and landing at [Mag Inis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lecale "Lecale") in the territory of [Dál Fiatach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1l_Fiatach "Dál Fiatach").[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46) According to Muirchú, Patrick converted the local chieftain Díchu and was given a barn as a church, which became known as *Sabhall Phádraig* (Patrick's barn), now [Saul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Monastery "Saul Monastery").[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Rankin-46) Tírechán, however, says that Patrick landed in [Brega](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Brega "Kings of Brega") and founded his first churches there, then travelled clockwise around the island.[\[58\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-59) Brega was part of the [kingdom of Meath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Meath "Kingdom of Meath") and included the royal capital of [Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Tara "Hill of Tara"). He says that Benen (or [Benignus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benignus_of_Armagh "Benignus of Armagh")), son of the chieftain Secsnán, was Patrick's first Irish disciple.[\[51\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Moran-52) After founding his first church, both Muirchú and Tírechán have Patrick contending with [Lóegaire mac Néill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3egaire_mac_N%C3%A9ill "Lóegaire mac Néill"), the [king of Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Tara "King of Tara").
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carlow_Cathedral_St_Patrick_Preaching_to_the_Kings_2009_09_03.jpg)
Stained glass window in [Carlow Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlow_Cathedral "Carlow Cathedral"), showing Saint Patrick preaching to Irish kings
From the *Confessio*, something can be seen of Patrick's mission. He writes that he "baptised thousands of people",[\[59\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-60) even planning to convert his slavers.[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:0-48) He ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became [nuns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nun "Nun") in the face of family opposition. He also dealt with the sons of kings, converting them too.[\[60\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-61) The *Confessio* is generally vague about the details of his work in Ireland, though giving some specific instances. This is partly because, as he says at points, he was writing for a local audience of Christians who knew him and his work. There are several mentions of travelling around the island and of sometimes difficult interactions with the ruling elite. He claims of the Irish:
> Never before did they know of God except to serve idols and unclean things. But now, they have become the people of the Lord, and are called children of God. The sons and daughters of the leaders of the Irish are seen to be monks and virgins of Christ\![\[61\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-62)
Patrick's position as a foreigner in Ireland was not an easy one. His refusal to accept gifts from kings placed him outside the normal ties of kinship, fosterage and affinity. He says that he was on one occasion beaten, robbed of all he had, and put in chains, perhaps awaiting execution.[\[62\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-63) Patrick says that he was also "many years later" a captive for 60 days, without giving details.[\[63\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-64)
Letter to Coroticus and defence against accusers
Patrick's *Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus* (*Epistola ad milites Corotici*), is an [open letter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_letter "Open letter") announcing his [excommunication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication "Excommunication") of a British king, Coroticus, and his soldiers, because they had killed and enslaved some of Patrick's new converts while raiding in Ireland.[\[64\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-65) Patrick writes, "I cannot say that they are my fellow-citizens, nor fellow-citizens of the saints of Rome, but fellow-citizens of demons, because of their evil works". He calls them "allies of the [Scots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoti "Scoti") and [apostate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy "Apostasy") [Picts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picts "Picts")".[\[65\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-66) In other words, Coroticus was at least nominally Christian, and the southern Picts had converted to Christianity but lapsed into paganism.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) The Scots (*Scotti* in Latin) are most likely the [Gaels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaels "Gaels") of [Dál Riata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1l_Riata "Dál Riata"). Coroticus is widely believed to be king [Ceretic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceretic_Guletic "Ceretic Guletic") of [Alt Clut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Strathclyde "Kingdom of Strathclyde"), the region surrounding [Dumbarton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton_Rock "Dumbarton Rock") (*Ail Cluaithe* in Irish).[\[67\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_denfensio-68)[\[68\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-69) Thompson however proposed that Coroticus was a Romano-British warlord based at [Ailech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Ailech "Kings of Ailech") in the north of Ireland.[\[69\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-70)
After spending decades in Ireland, Patrick was summoned to Britain by church leaders to answer various accusations or charges.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) He is estimated to have been around 60 years old.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) It is possible that Patrick's letter led to his being summoned.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67)[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-:2-31) Historian [Charles Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Thomas_\(historian\) "Charles Thomas (historian)") suggests that there were longstanding accusations against Patrick; when he publicly excommunicated king Coroticus, he overstepped his authority, and the Church in northern Britain at last decided to call him to account.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67)
Patrick does not say outright what these accusations were, but they can be inferred based on the rebuttals he gives in his *Confessio*. He was accused of some kind of financial impropriety, and perhaps of having obtained his bishopric in Ireland with personal gain in mind.[\[70\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-71) Specific accusations seem to be that he accepted valuable gifts from the Irish nobility, including from those hoping to be [ordained](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordination "Ordination"), and took payment for baptisms. Patrick refused to leave Ireland, but instead issued a lengthy statement denying the accusations and defending himself.[\[66\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Thomas_defensio-67) He says that he gave up his nobility in Britain, left his family and his homeland to work in Ireland, suffering insult, violence and imprisonment. Patrick says he returned the gifts wealthy women gave him, did not ask payment for baptisms, nor for ordaining priests, and indeed paid for many gifts to kings and judges, as well as compensating the sons of chiefs to accompany him. According to Roy Flechner, the *Confessio* was written in part as a defence against his detractors, who did not believe that he was taken to Ireland as a slave, despite Patrick's vigorous insistence that he was.[\[71\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-72)
Seventh-century hagiographies
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_Patrick_by_Boris_Anrep.jpg)
A mosaic of Saint Patrick in [Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Christ_the_King,_Mullingar "Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar"), showing Patrick lighting the Easter fire at [Slane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slane "Slane") and destroying pagan idols
Two works by late seventh-century [hagiographers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographer "Hagiographer") of Patrick have survived. These are the *Vita sancti Patricii* of [Muirchú moccu Machtheni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni") and the writings of [Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán").[\[72\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-73) Both writers relied upon an earlier work, now lost, the *Book of Ultán*.[\[73\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-74) This Ultán, probably the same person as [Ultan of Ardbraccan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultan_of_Ardbraccan "Ultan of Ardbraccan"), was Tírechán's foster-father. His obituary is given in the *[Annals of Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_Ulster "Annals of Ulster")* under the year 657.[\[74\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-75) These works thus date from a century and a half after Patrick's death.
The Patrick portrayed by Tírechán and Muirchu is a martial figure, who contests with [druids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druid "Druid"), overthrows pagan idols, and curses kings and kingdoms.[\[75\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-76) On occasion, their accounts contradict Patrick's own writings: Tírechán states that Patrick accepted gifts from female converts although Patrick himself flatly denies this. However, the emphasis Tírechán and Muirchu placed on female converts, and in particular royal and noble women who became nuns, is thought to be a genuine insight into Patrick's work of conversion. Patrick also worked with the unfree and the poor, encouraging them to vows of monastic chastity. Tírechán's account suggests that many early Patrician churches were combined with nunneries founded by Patrick's noble female converts.[\[76\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-77)
The martial Patrick found in Tírechán and Muirchu, and in later accounts, echoes similar figures found during the conversion of the [Roman Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire "Roman Empire") to Christianity. It may be doubted whether such accounts are an accurate representation of Patrick's time, although such violent events may well have occurred as Christians gained in strength and numbers.[\[77\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-78)
Much of the detail supplied by Tírechán and Muirchu, in particular the churches established by Patrick, and the monasteries founded by his converts, may relate to the situation in the seventh century, when the churches which claimed ties to Patrick, and in particular [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh"), were expanding their influence throughout Ireland in competition with the church of [Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kildare "Kildare"). In the same period, [Wilfred](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid_II_\(bishop_of_York\) "Wilfrid II (bishop of York)"), [Archbishop of York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_York "Archbishop of York"), claimed to speak, as [metropolitan archbishop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_archbishop "Metropolitan archbishop"), "for all the northern part of Britain and of Ireland" at a council held in Rome in the time of [Pope Agatho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Agatho "Pope Agatho"), thus claiming jurisdiction over the Irish church.[\[78\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-79)
Muirchú's life of Saint Patrick contains a supposed prophecy by the [druids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druid "Druid") which gives an impression of how Patrick and other Christian missionaries were seen by those hostile to them:
> Across the sea will come [Adze](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adze "Adze")\-head,[\[79\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-80) crazed in the head,
> his cloak with hole for the head, his stick bent in the head.
> He will chant impieties from a table in the front of his house;
> all his people will answer: "so be it, so be it."[\[80\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-81)
Both Muirchú and Tírechán say that Patrick contended with [Lóegaire mac Néill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3egaire_mac_N%C3%A9ill "Lóegaire mac Néill"), the [king of Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Tara "King of Tara"). Muirchú includes a famous story that Patrick lit a [Paschal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschal_Full_Moon "Paschal Full Moon") ([Easter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter "Easter")) fire on the [Hill of Slane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Slane "Hill of Slane"), in defiance of the king. The story says that the fire could not be doused by anyone but Patrick.
Other presumed early materials include the [Irish annals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_annals "Irish annals"), which contain records from the [Chronicle of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronicle_of_Ireland "Chronicle of Ireland"). These sources have [conflated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflation "Conflation") [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") and Patrick.[\[81\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-82) Another early document is the so-called *First Synod of Saint Patrick*. This is a seventh-century document, once, but no longer, taken as to contain a fifth-century original text. It apparently collects the results of several early synods, and represents an era when pagans were still a major force in Ireland. The introduction attributes it to Patrick, Auxilius, and Iserninus, a claim which "cannot be taken at face value."[\[82\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-83)
Patrick uses shamrock in an illustrative parable
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kilbennan_St._Benin%27s_Church_Window_St._Patrick_Detail_2010_09_16.jpg)
Patrick depicted with shamrock in detail of stained glass window in St. Benin's Church, Kilbennan, County Galway, Ireland
Legend credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the doctrine of the [Holy Trinity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Trinity "Holy Trinity") by showing people the [shamrock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock "Shamrock"), a three-leafed plant, using it to illustrate the Christian teaching of three persons in one God.[\[83\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-84) The earliest written version of the story is given by the botanist [Caleb Threlkeld](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleb_Threlkeld "Caleb Threlkeld") in his 1726 *Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum*, but the earliest surviving records associating Patrick with the plant are coins depicting Patrick clutching a shamrock which were minted in the 1680s.[\[84\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFlechner2019221-85)[\[85\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-86)
In pagan Ireland, three was a significant number and the Irish had many [triple deities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_deity "Triple deity"), a fact that may have aided Patrick in his [evangelisation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelism "Evangelism") efforts when he "held up a shamrock and discoursed on the Christian Trinity".[\[86\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Monaghan2009-87)[\[87\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Hegarty2012-88) [Patricia Monaghan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Monaghan "Patricia Monaghan") says there is no evidence that the shamrock was sacred to the pagan Irish.[\[86\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Monaghan2009-87) However, [Jack Santino](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Santino "Jack Santino") speculates that it may have represented the regenerative powers of nature, and was recast in a Christian context. [Icons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon "Icon") of St Patrick often depict the saint "with a [cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_cross "Christian cross") in one hand and a sprig of shamrocks in the other".[\[88\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-Santino1995-89) Roger Homan writes, "We can perhaps see St Patrick drawing upon the visual concept of the *[triskele](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_spiral "Triple spiral")* when he uses the shamrock to explain the Trinity".[\[89\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-90)
Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:STP-ELP.jpg)
Patrick banishing the snakes
Ireland was well known to be a land without snakes, and this was noted as early as the third century by [Gaius Julius Solinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Julius_Solinus "Gaius Julius Solinus"), but later legend credited Patrick with banishing snakes from the island. The earliest text to mention an Irish saint banishing snakes from Ireland is in fact the Life of Saint [Columba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba "Columba") (chapter 3.23), written in the late seventh or early eighth century.[\[90\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-91) The earliest writings about Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes are by [Jocelyn of Furness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyn_of_Furness "Jocelyn of Furness") in the late twelfth century,[\[91\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-92) who says that Patrick chased them into the sea after they attacked him during his fast on a mountain.[\[92\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-news.nationalgeographic.com-93) [Gerald of Wales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_of_Wales "Gerald of Wales") also mentions the story in the early thirteenth century, but he is doubtful of its truthfulness.[\[93\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-94) [Post-glacial Ireland never had snakes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reptiles_of_Ireland#Order:_Squamata_\(lizards,_snakes\) "List of reptiles of Ireland").[\[92\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-news.nationalgeographic.com-93) "At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so \[there was\] nothing for St. Patrick to banish", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records.[\[92\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-news.nationalgeographic.com-93)
Patrick's fast on the mountain
[Tírechán](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%ADrech%C3%A1n "Tírechán") wrote in the 7th century that Patrick spent forty days on the mountaintop of [Cruachán Aigle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick"), as [Moses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses "Moses") did on [Mount Sinai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai_\(Bible\) "Mount Sinai (Bible)"). The 9th century *Bethu Phátraic* says that Patrick was harassed by a flock of black demonic birds while on the peak, and he banished them into the hollow of Lugnademon ("hollow of the demons") by ringing his bell. Patrick ended his fast when God gave him the right to judge all the Irish at the [Last Judgement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Judgment "Last Judgment"), and agreed to spare the land of Ireland from the [final desolation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation "Book of Revelation").[\[94\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-95)[\[40\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-MoranCite-41) A later legend tells how Patrick was tormented on the mountain by a demonic female serpent named Corra or Caorthannach. Patrick is said to have banished the serpent into Lough Na Corra below the mountain, or into a hollow from which the lake burst forth.[\[95\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-96) The mountain is now known as [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick") (Cruach Phádraig) after the saint.
Patrick and Dáire
According to tradition, Patrick founded his main church at [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh") (Ard Mhacha) in the year 445. [Muirchú](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirch%C3%BA_moccu_Machtheni "Muirchú moccu Machtheni") writes that a pagan chieftain named [Dáire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ire "Dáire") would not let Patrick build a church on the hill of Ard Mhacha, but instead gave him lower ground to the east. One day, Dáire's horses die after grazing on the church land. He tells his men to kill Patrick, but is himself struck down with illness. Dáire's men beg Patrick to heal him, and Patrick's holy water revives both Dáire and his horses. Dáire rewards Patrick with a great bronze cauldron and gave him the hill of Ard Mhacha to build a church, which eventually became the head church of Ireland. Dáire has similarities with [the Dagda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dagda "The Dagda"), an Irish god who owns a cauldron of plenty.[\[96\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-97)
In a later legend, the pagan chieftain is named [Crom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crom_Dubh "Crom Dubh"). Patrick asks the chieftain for food, and Crom sends his bull, in the hope that it will drive off or kill Patrick. Instead, it meekly submits to Patrick, allowing itself to be slaughtered and eaten. Crom demands his bull be returned. Patrick has the bull's bones and hide put together and brings it back to life. In some versions, Crom is so impressed that he converts to Christianity, while in others he is killed by the bull. In parts of Ireland, [Lughnasa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lughnasa "Lughnasa") (1 August) is called 'Crom's Sunday' and the legend could recall [bull sacrifices](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_sacrifice "Bull sacrifice") during the festival.[\[97\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-98)
Patrick speaks with ancient Irish ancestors
The twelfth-century work *[Acallam na Senórach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acallam_na_Sen%C3%B3rach "Acallam na Senórach")* tells of Patrick being met by two ancient warriors, [Caílte mac Rónáin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ca%C3%ADlte_mac_R%C3%B3n%C3%A1in "Caílte mac Rónáin") and [Oisín](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ois%C3%ADn "Oisín"), during his evangelical travels. The two were once members of [Fionn mac Cumhaill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fionn_mac_Cumhaill "Fionn mac Cumhaill")'s warrior band the [Fianna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fianna "Fianna"), and somehow survived to Patrick's time.[\[98\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-99) In the work St. Patrick seeks to convert the warriors to Christianity, while they defend their pagan past. The heroic pagan lifestyle of the warriors, of fighting and feasting and living close to nature, is contrasted with the more peaceful, but unheroic and non-sensual life offered by Christianity.[\[99\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-mackillop-100)
Patrick and the innkeeper
A much later legend tells of Patrick visiting an [inn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inn "Inn") and chiding the innkeeper for being ungenerous with her guests. Patrick tells her that a demon is hiding in her cellar and being fattened by her dishonesty. He says that the only way to get rid of the demon is by mending her ways. Sometime later, Patrick revisits the inn to find that the innkeeper is now serving her guests cups of whiskey filled to the brim. He praises her generosity and brings her to the cellar, where they find the demon withering away. It then flees in a flash of flame, and Patrick decrees that people should have a drink of whiskey on his feast day in memory of this. This is said to be the origin of "drowning the shamrock" on Saint Patrick's Day.[\[100\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-101)
Battle for the body of St Patrick
According to the *[Annals of the Four Masters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_the_Four_Masters "Annals of the Four Masters")*, an early-modern compilation of earlier annals, his corpse soon became an object of conflict in the Battle for the Body of Saint Patrick (*Cath Coirp Naomh Padraic*):
> The [Uí Néill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U%C3%AD_N%C3%A9ill "Uí Néill") and the [Airgíalla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airg%C3%ADalla "Airgíalla") attempted to bring it to Armagh; the [Ulaid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulaid "Ulaid") tried to keep it for themselves.
>
> When the Uí Néill and the Airgíalla came to a certain water, the river swelled against them so that they were not able to cross it. When the flood had subsided the Ui Neill and the Ulaid united on terms of peace, to bring the body of Patrick with them. It appeared to each of them that each had the body conveying it to their respective territories. The body of Patrick was afterwards interred at [Dun Da Lethglas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick") with great honour and veneration; and during the twelve nights that the religious seniors were watching the body with psalms and hymns, it was not night in Magh Inis or the neighbouring lands, as they thought, but as if it were the full undarkened light of day.[\[101\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-102)
Modern theories
"Two Patricks" theory
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Patrick%27s_mission_to_Ireland_from_the_Pope,_Kilkenny_cathedral.jpg)
Saint Patrick sent to Ireland by the Pope; wall mosaic in [St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary%27s_Cathedral,_Kilkenny "St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny"). Emphasising the supposed papal mission of Patrick would help lend credence to the Catholic teaching that the Irish church was always under Papal authority.
Irish academic [T. F. O'Rahilly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._F._O%27Rahilly "T. F. O'Rahilly") proposed the "Two Patricks" theory,[\[102\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-O'Rahilly_1942-103) which suggests that many of the traditions later attached to Saint Patrick actually concerned the aforementioned [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)"), who, according to [Prosper of Aquitaine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosper_of_Aquitaine "Prosper of Aquitaine")'s *Chronicle*, was sent by [Pope Celestine I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Celestine_I "Pope Celestine I") as the first bishop to Irish Christians in 431. An early document which is silent concerning Patrick is the letter of [Columbanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbanus "Columbanus") to [Pope Boniface IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Boniface_IV "Pope Boniface IV") of about 613. Columbanus writes that Ireland's Christianity "was first handed to us by you, the successors of the holy apostles", apparently referring to [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") only, and ignoring Patrick.[\[103\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-104) Palladius was not the only early cleric in Ireland at this time. The Irish-born Saint [Ciarán of Saigir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciar%C3%A1n_of_Saigir "Ciarán of Saigir") lived in the later fourth century (352–402) and was the first bishop of [Ossory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Ossory "Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory"). Ciaran, along with saints [Auxilius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxilius_of_Ireland "Auxilius of Ireland"), [Secundinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secundinus "Secundinus") and [Iserninus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iserninus "Iserninus"), is also associated with early churches in [Munster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munster "Munster") and [Leinster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leinster "Leinster"). By this reading, [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") was active in Ireland until the 460s.[\[104\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-105)
Prosper associates Palladius' appointment with the visits of [Germanus of Auxerre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanus_of_Auxerre "Germanus of Auxerre") to Britain to suppress [Pelagianism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagianism "Pelagianism") and it has been suggested that Palladius and his colleagues were sent to Ireland to ensure that exiled Pelagians did not establish themselves among the Irish Christians. The appointment of Palladius and his fellow bishops was not obviously a mission to convert the Irish, but more probably intended to minister to existing Christian communities in Ireland.[\[105\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-106) The sites of churches associated with Palladius and his colleagues are close to royal centres of the period: Secundus is remembered by [Dunshaughlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunshaughlin "Dunshaughlin"), [County Meath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Meath "County Meath"), close to the [Hill of Tara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Tara "Hill of Tara") which is associated with the [High King of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_King_of_Ireland "High King of Ireland"); [Killashee, County Kildare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killashee,_County_Kildare "Killashee, County Kildare"), close to [Naas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naas "Naas") with links with the [kings of Leinster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_kings_of_Leinster "List of kings of Leinster"), is probably named for Auxilius. This activity was limited to the southern half of Ireland, and there is no evidence for them in [Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster "Ulster") or [Connacht](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connacht "Connacht").[\[106\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-107)
Although the evidence for contacts with [Gaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaul "Gaul") is clear, the borrowings from [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin "Latin") into [Old Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Irish "Old Irish") show that links with [Roman Britain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Britain "Roman Britain") were many.[\[107\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-108) Iserninus, who appears to be of the generation of Palladius, is thought to have been a [Briton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Britons "Celtic Britons"), and is associated with the lands of the [Uí Ceinnselaig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U%C3%AD_Ceinnselaig "Uí Ceinnselaig") in Leinster. The Palladian mission should not be contrasted with later "British" missions, but forms a part of them;[\[108\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-109) nor can the work of Palladius be uncritically equated with that of Saint Patrick, as was once traditional.[\[102\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-O'Rahilly_1942-103)
Abduction reinterpreted
According to Patrick's own account, it was Irish raiders who brought him to Ireland where he was enslaved and held captive for six years.[\[109\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-110) However, a recent alternative interpretation by Roy Flechner of Patrick's departure to Ireland suggests that, as the son of a [decurion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decurion_\(administrative\) "Decurion (administrative)"), he would have been obliged by Roman law to serve on the town council ([curia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curia "Curia")), but chose instead to abscond from the onerous obligations of this office by fleeing abroad, as many others in his position had done in what has become known as the 'flight of the [curiales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiales "Curiales")'.[\[110\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-111) Flechner also asserts the improbability of an escape from servitude and a journey of the kind that Patrick purports to have undertaken. He also interprets the biblical allusions in Patrick's account (e.g. the theme of freedom after six years of servitude in Exod. 21:2 or Jer. 34:14), as implying parts of the account may not have been intended to be understood literally.[\[111\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-112)
Sainthood and veneration
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Icon_of_Saint_Patrick,_Christ_the_Saviour_Church.jpg)
[Icon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon "Icon") of Saint Patrick from Christ the Savior [Russian Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church "Russian Orthodox Church"), [Wayne, West Virginia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne,_West_Virginia "Wayne, West Virginia")
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Armagh_St._Patrick%27s_Cathedral_of_the_Church_of_Ireland_East_Window_Detail_Saint_Patrick_2019_09_09.jpg)
Stained glass window of Saint Patrick from the Protestant [Church of Ireland cathedral in Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Cathedral,_Armagh_\(Church_of_Ireland\) "St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland)")
Writing on the [Easter controversy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_controversy "Easter controversy") in 632 or 633, Cummian—it is uncertain whether this is [Cumméne Fota](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumm%C3%A9ne_Fota "Cumméne Fota") or [Cumméne Find](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumm%C3%A9ne_Find "Cumméne Find")—refers to Patrick as "our papa", that is, father or [primate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primate_\(bishop\) "Primate (bishop)").[\[112\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-113)
17 March, popularly known as [Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day"), is believed to be his death date and is the date celebrated as his [Feast Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_Day "Feast Day").[\[113\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-114) The day became a feast day in the Catholic Church due to the influence of the [Waterford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterford "Waterford")\-born [Franciscan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscan "Franciscan") scholar [Luke Wadding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Wadding "Luke Wadding"), as a member of the commission for the reform of the [Breviary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breviary "Breviary") in the early part of the 17th century.[\[114\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-115)
For most of Christianity's first thousand years, canonisations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after the death of people considered very holy, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints. As a result, Patrick has never been formally [canonised](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonisation "Canonisation") by a pope (common before [10th century](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_10th_century "Christianity in the 10th century")); nevertheless, various Christian churches declare that he is a saint in Heaven (see [List of Saints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Saints "List of Saints")). He is still widely venerated in Ireland and elsewhere today.[\[115\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-116)
Patrick is also honoured with a [feast day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_day "Feast day") on the [liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints_\(Episcopal_Church_in_the_United_States_of_America\) "Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America)") and with a commemoration on the [calendar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints_\(Lutheran\) "Calendar of saints (Lutheran)") of [Evangelical Lutheran Worship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical_Lutheran_Worship "Evangelical Lutheran Worship"), both on 17 March. Patrick is also [venerated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneration "Veneration") in the [Eastern Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church "Eastern Orthodox Church") as a pre-Schism Western saint, especially among Orthodox Christians living in Ireland and the [Anglosphere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglosphere "Anglosphere");[\[116\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-117) as is usual with saints, there are Orthodox [icons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon "Icon") dedicated to him.[\[117\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-118)
Saint Patrick remains a recurring figure in [Folk Christianity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_Christianity "Folk Christianity") and Irish folktales.[\[118\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-119)
Patrick is said to be buried at [Down Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_Cathedral "Down Cathedral") in [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick"), County Down, alongside [Saint Brigid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Brigid "Saint Brigid") and [Saint Columba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Columba "Saint Columba"), although this has never been proven. [Saint Patrick Visitor Centre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick_Visitor_Centre "Saint Patrick Visitor Centre") is a modern exhibition complex located in Downpatrick and is a permanent interpretative exhibition centre featuring interactive displays on the life and story of Patrick. It provides the only permanent exhibition centre in the world devoted to Patrick.[\[119\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-120)
Patrick is [remembered](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints_\(Church_of_England\) "Calendar of saints (Church of England)") in the [Church of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_England "Church of England") with a [Lesser Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Festival_\(Anglicanism\) "Lesser Festival (Anglicanism)") on [17 March](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_17 "March 17").[\[120\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-121)
On 9 March 2017, his name was added to the [Russian Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church "Russian Orthodox Church") calendar by the [Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Synod_of_the_Russian_Orthodox_Church "Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church").[\[121\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-122)[\[122\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-123)
*Saint Patrick's Breastplate*
Saint Patrick's Breastplate is a *[lorica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorica_\(prayer\) "Lorica (prayer)")*, or hymn, which is attributed to Patrick during his Irish ministry in the 5th century.
Saint Patrick's crosses
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Goleen_Church_of_Our_Lady,_Star_of_the_Sea,_and_St._Patrick_North_Wall_Fourth_Window_Saint_Patrick_Detail_2009_09_10.jpg)
Patrick showing cross pattée on his robes
There are two main types of crosses associated with Patrick, the [cross pattée](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_patt%C3%A9e "Cross pattée") and the [Saltire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_Saltire "Cross Saltire"). The cross pattée is the more traditional association, while the association with the saltire dates from 1783 and the Order of St. Patrick.
The cross pattée has long been associated with Patrick, for reasons that are uncertain. One possible reason is that bishops' mitres in [Ecclesiastical heraldry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiastical_heraldry "Ecclesiastical heraldry") often appear surmounted by a cross pattée.[\[123\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-124)[\[124\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-125) An example of this can be seen on the old crest of the [Brothers of St. Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrician_Brothers "Patrician Brothers").[\[125\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-126) As Patrick was the founding bishop of the Irish church, the symbol may have become associated with him. Patrick is traditionally portrayed in the vestments of a bishop, and his mitre and garments are often decorated with a cross pattée.[\[126\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-127)[\[127\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-128)[\[128\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-129)[\[129\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-130)[\[130\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-131)
The cross pattée retains its link to Patrick to the present day. For example, it appears on the coat of arms of both the [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Armagh "Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh")[\[131\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-132) and the [Church of Ireland Archdiocese of Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archdiocese_of_Armagh_\(Church_of_Ireland\) "Archdiocese of Armagh (Church of Ireland)").[\[132\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-133) This is on account of Patrick being regarded as the first bishop of the Diocese of Armagh. It is also used by [Down District Council](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_District_Council "Down District Council") which has its headquarters in [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick"), the reputed burial place of Patrick.
[Saint Patrick's Saltire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Saltire "Saint Patrick's Saltire") is a red [saltire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltire "Saltire") on a white field. It is used in the insignia of the [Order of Saint Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Saint_Patrick "Order of Saint Patrick"), established in 1783, and after the [Acts of Union 1800](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1800 "Acts of Union 1800") it was combined with the [Saint George's Cross of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_England "Flag of England") and the [Saint Andrew's Cross of Scotland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Scotland "Flag of Scotland") to form the [Union Flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Flag "Union Flag") of the [United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland"). A saltire was intermittently used as a symbol of Ireland from the seventeenth century but without reference to Patrick.
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Traditional-irish-stipatricksidayibadges.jpg)
Traditional Saint Patrick's Day badges from the early twentieth century, from the [Museum of Country Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Country_Life "Museum of Country Life"), Castlebar
It was formerly a common custom to wear a cross made of paper or ribbon on [St Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Day "St Patrick's Day"). Surviving examples of such badges come in many colours[\[133\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-hm40-134) and they were worn upright rather than as saltires.[\[134\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-morley-135)
Thomas Dinely, an English traveller in Ireland in 1681, remarked that "the Irish of all stations and condicõns were crosses in their hatts, some of pins, some of green ribbon."[\[135\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-136) [Jonathan Swift](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Swift "Jonathan Swift"), writing to "[Stella](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Johnson "Esther Johnson")" of Saint Patrick's Day 1713, said "[the Mall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mall,_London "The Mall, London") was so full of crosses that I thought all the world was Irish".[\[136\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-137) In the 1740s, the badges pinned were multicoloured interlaced fabric.[\[137\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-badges-138) In the 1820s, they were only worn by children, with simple multicoloured daisy patterns.[\[137\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-badges-138)[\[138\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-139) In the 1890s, they were almost extinct, and a simple green [Greek cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_cross "Greek cross") inscribed in a circle of paper (similar to the Ballina crest pictured).[\[139\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-140) *[The Irish Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irish_Times "The Irish Times")* in 1935 reported they were still sold in poorer parts of Dublin, but fewer than those of previous years "some in velvet or embroidered silk or poplin, with the gold paper cross entwined with shamrocks and ribbons".[\[140\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-141)
Saint Patrick's Bell
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bell_of_Saint_Patrick_Shrine_MET_tem07651s1.jpg)
The Shrine of Saint Patrick's Bell
The [National Museum of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Ireland "National Museum of Ireland") in Dublin possesses a bell (**Clog Phádraig**)[\[141\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-142)[\[143\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-144) first mentioned, according to the *[Annals of Ulster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_Ulster "Annals of Ulster")*, in the *Book of Cuanu* in the year 552. The bell was part of a collection of "relics of Patrick" removed from his tomb sixty years after his death by [Colum Cille](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colum_Cille "Colum Cille") to be used as relics. The bell is described as "The Bell of the Testament", one of three relics of "precious minna" (extremely valuable items), of which the other two are described as Patrick's goblet and "The Angels Gospel". Colum Cille is described to have been under the direction of an "Angel" for whom he sent the goblet to [Down](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Down "County Down"), the bell to [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh"), and kept possession of the Angel's Gospel for himself. The name Angels Gospel is given to the book because it was supposed that Colum Cille received it from the angel's hand. A stir was caused in 1044 when two kings, in some dispute over the bell, went on spates of prisoner taking and cattle theft. The annals make one more apparent reference to the bell when chronicling a death, of 1356: "Solomon Ua Mellain, The Keeper of The Bell of the Testament, protector, rested in Christ."
The bell was encased in a "bell shrine", a distinctive Irish type of [reliquary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliquary "Reliquary") made for it, as an inscription records, by King [Domnall Ua Lochlainn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domnall_Ua_Lochlainn "Domnall Ua Lochlainn") sometime between 1091 and 1105. The shrine is an important example of the final, Viking-influenced, style of Irish [Celtic art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_art "Celtic art"), with intricate [Urnes style](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urnes_style "Urnes style") decoration in gold and silver. The Gaelic inscription on the shrine also records the name of the maker "U INMAINEN" (which translates to "Noonan"), "who with his sons enriched/decorated it"; metalwork was often inscribed for remembrance.
The bell itself is simple in design, hammered into shape with a small handle fixed to the top with rivets. Originally forged from iron, it has since been coated in bronze. The shrine is inscribed with three names, including King Domnall Ua Lochlainn's. The rear of the shrine, not intended to be seen, is decorated with crosses while the handle is decorated with, among other works, Celtic designs of birds. The bell is accredited with working a miracle in 1044,\[*[further explanation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify "Wikipedia:Please clarify")*\] and having been coated in bronze to shield it from human eyes, for which it would be too holy. It measures 12.5 × 10 cm at the base, 12.8 × 4 cm at the shoulder, 16.5 cm from base to shoulder, 3.3 cm from shoulder to top of the handle and weighs 1.7 kg.[\[144\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-145)
Saint Patrick and Irish identity
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%22Erin_Go_Braugh._St._Patrick%27s_Greetings.%22.jpg)
A 1909 St Patrick's Day postcard with the Irish slogan "[Erin go bragh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_go_bragh "Erin go bragh")" (Ireland Forever)
Patrick features in many stories in the Irish oral tradition and there are many customs connected with his feast day. The folklorist Jenny Butler discusses how these traditions have been given new layers of meaning over time while also becoming tied to Irish identity both in Ireland and abroad. The symbolic resonance of the Saint Patrick figure is complex and multifaceted, stretching from that of Christianity's arrival in Ireland to an identity that encompasses everything Irish. In some portrayals, the saint is symbolically synonymous with the Christian religion itself. There is also evidence of a combination of indigenous religious traditions with that of Christianity, which places St Patrick in the wider framework of [cultural hybridity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_hybridity "Cultural hybridity"). Popular religious expression has this characteristic feature of merging elements of culture. Later in time, the saint became associated specifically with Catholic Ireland and synonymously with Irish national identity. Subsequently, Saint Patrick is a patriotic symbol along with the colour green and the shamrock. Saint Patrick's Day celebrations include many traditions that are known to be relatively recent historically but have endured through time because of their association either with religious or national identity. They have persisted in such a way that they have become stalwart traditions, viewed as the strongest "Irish traditions".[\[145\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-146)
Places associated with Saint Patrick
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Slemish_\(8\)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_834986.jpg)
[Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish"), County Antrim, traditionally associated with Saint Patrick's time as a shepherd slave
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Slieve_Patrick,_August_2009.JPG)
Saint Patrick's statue at Saul, County Down
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Croagh_Patrick_-_geograph.org.uk_-_186660.jpg)
Saint Patrick's Oratory at the top of [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick"), County Mayo
- [Slemish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slemish "Slemish"), County Antrim and [Killala Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killala_Bay "Killala Bay"), County Mayo: When captured by raiders, there are two theories as to where Patrick was enslaved. One theory is that he herded sheep in the countryside around Slemish. Another theory is that Patrick herded sheep near Killala Bay, at a place called Fochill.
- [Saul Monastery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Monastery "Saul Monastery") (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Sabhall Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's barn'):[\[146\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-147) It is claimed that Patrick founded his first church in a barn at Saul, which was donated to him by a local chieftain called [Dichu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dichu "Saint Dichu"). It is also claimed that Patrick died at Saul or was brought there between his death and burial. Nearby, on the crest of Slieve Patrick, is a huge statue of Patrick with bronze panels showing scenes from his life.
- [Croagh Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croagh_Patrick "Croagh Patrick"), County Mayo (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Cruach Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's stack'):[\[147\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-148) It is claimed that Patrick climbed this mountain and fasted on its summit for the forty days of [Lent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent "Lent"). Croagh Patrick draws thousands of pilgrims who make the trek to the top on the last Sunday in July.
- [Lough Derg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lough_Derg_\(Ulster\) "Lough Derg (Ulster)"), County Donegal (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Loch Dearg*, meaning 'red lake'):[\[148\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-149) It is claimed that Patrick killed a large serpent on this lake and that its blood turned the water red (hence the name). Each August, pilgrims spend three days fasting and praying there on Station Island. Located on the island is [St Patrick's Purgatory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Purgatory "St Patrick's Purgatory") which has been considered as the entrance to Purgatory since the Middle Ages.[\[149\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-150)
- [Armagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh "Armagh"): It is claimed that Patrick founded a church here and proclaimed it to be the most holy church in Ireland. Armagh is today the primary seat of both the Catholic Church in Ireland and the Church of Ireland, and both cathedrals in the town are named after Patrick.
- [Downpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick "Downpatrick"), County Down (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Dún Pádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's stronghold'):[\[150\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-151)\[*[failed verification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability "Wikipedia:Verifiability")*\] It is claimed that Patrick was brought here after his death and buried in the grounds of Down Cathedral.
- [Glastonbury Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Abbey "Glastonbury Abbey"), England: It is claimed that he was buried within the Abbey grounds next to the high altar, which has led to many believing this is why Glastonbury was popular among Irish pilgrims. It is also believed that he was 'the founder and the first Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey.'[\[151\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-auto-152) This was recorded by [William of Malmesbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_of_Malmesbury "William of Malmesbury") in his document "De antiquitate Glastoniensis ecclesiae (Concerning the Antiquity of Glastonbury)" that was compiled between 1129 and 1135, where it was noted that "After converting the Irish and establishing them solidly in the Catholic faith he returned to his native land, and was led by guidance from on high to Glastonbury. There he came upon certain holy men living the life of hermits. Finding themselves all of one mind with Patrick they decided to form a community and elected him as their superior. Later, two of their members resided on the Tor to serve its Chapel."[\[152\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-153) Within the grounds of the Abbey lies [St. Patrick's Chapel, Glastonbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick%27s_Chapel,_Glastonbury "St. Patrick's Chapel, Glastonbury") which is a site of pilgrimage. The well-known Irish Scholar [James Carney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Carney_\(scholar\) "James Carney (scholar)") also elaborated on this claim and wrote "it is possible that Patrick, tired and ill at the end of his arduous mission felt released from his vow not to leave Ireland, and returned to the monastery from which he had come, which might have been Glastonbury".[\[153\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-154) It is also another possible burial site of the saint, where it is documented he has been "interred in the Old Wattle Church".[\[151\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-auto-152)
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St._Patrick%27s_Well.jpg)
Stone found below St. Patrick's Well. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland.
Other places named after Saint Patrick include:
- Patrickswell Lane, a well in [Drogheda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drogheda "Drogheda") Town where St. Patrick opened a monastery and baptised the townspeople.
- [Ardpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardpatrick,_County_Limerick "Ardpatrick, County Limerick"), County Limerick (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Ard Pádraig*, meaning 'high place of Patrick')[\[154\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-155)\[*[failed verification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability "Wikipedia:Verifiability")*\]
- Patrick Water (Old Patrick Water), [Elderslie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elderslie,_Scotland "Elderslie, Scotland"), Renfrewshire. from Scots' Gaelic "AlltPadraig" meaning Patrick's Burn[\[155\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-156)[\[156\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-157)[\[157\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-158)[\[158\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-159)
- [Patrickswell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrickswell "Patrickswell") or Toberpatrick, County Limerick (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Tobar Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's well')[\[159\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-160)
- St Patrick's Well, [Patterdale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterdale "Patterdale")[\[160\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-161)
- Three churches in the Diocese of Carlisle[\[161\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-162) are dedicated to St Patrick, they are all within the historic county of [Westmorland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westmorland "Westmorland"): St Patrick's [Patterdale](https://www.patterdalepast.co.uk/church/), at the head of [Ullswater](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullswater "Ullswater") (the present church was built in the 19th Century but the chapel in Patricksdale is mentioned in a charter of 1348[\[162\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-163)); St Patrick's Bampton, near [Shap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shap "Shap");[\[163\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-164) [St Patrick's Church, Preston Patrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Church,_Preston_Patrick "St Patrick's Church, Preston Patrick") near [Kirkby Lonsdale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkby_Lonsdale "Kirkby Lonsdale").[\[164\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-165)
- [St Patrick's Chapel, Heysham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Chapel,_Heysham "St Patrick's Chapel, Heysham"), a ruined chapel near [St Peter's Church, Heysham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Peter%27s_Church,_Heysham "St Peter's Church, Heysham"), Lancashire. The chapel dates from the 8th Century.
- [St Patrick's Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Island "St Patrick's Island"), County Dublin
- [Old Kilpatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Kilpatrick "Old Kilpatrick"), near [Dumbarton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton "Dumbarton"), Scotland from "Cill Phàdraig," Patrick's Church, a claimant to his birthplace
- [St Patrick's Isle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Isle "St Patrick's Isle"), off the [Isle of Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man "Isle of Man")
- [St. Patricks, Newfoundland and Labrador](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patricks,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador "St. Patricks, Newfoundland and Labrador"), a community in the [Baie Verte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baie_Verte,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador "Baie Verte, Newfoundland and Labrador") district of [Newfoundland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_\(island\) "Newfoundland (island)")
- [Llanbadrig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanbadrig "Llanbadrig") (church), [Ynys Badrig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ynys_Badrig "Ynys Badrig") (island), Porth Padrig (cove), Llyn Padrig (lake), and Rhosbadrig (heath) on the island of [Anglesey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglesey "Anglesey") in [Wales](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales "Wales")
- [Templepatrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Templepatrick "Templepatrick"), County Antrim (from [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language") *Teampall Phádraig*, meaning 'Patrick's church')[\[165\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-166)
- St Patrick's Hill, Liverpool, on old maps of the town near to the former location of "St Patrick's Cross"[\[166\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-167)
- [Parroquia San Patricio y Espiritu Santo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parroquia_del_Esp%C3%ADritu_Santo_y_San_Patricio "Parroquia del Espíritu Santo y San Patricio"), Loiza, Puerto Rico. The site was initially mentioned in 1645 as a chapel. The actual building was completed by 1729, is one of the oldest churches in the Americas and today represents the faith of many Irish immigrants that settled in Loiza by the end of the 18th century. Today it is a museum.
In Art
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jeanne_de_Montbaston,_Saint_Patrick_Preaching_\(c._1325-1350\).jpg "Jeanne de Montbaston, Saint Patrick Preaching (c. 1325-1350)")
[Jeanne de Montbaston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_and_Richard_Montbaston "Jeanne and Richard Montbaston"), Saint Patrick Preaching (c. 1325-1350)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_de_Montbaston,_Saint_Patrick_and_the_King_\(1348\).jpg "Richard de Montbaston, Saint Patrick and the King (1348)")
[Richard de Montbaston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_and_Richard_Montbaston "Jeanne and Richard Montbaston"), Saint Patrick and the King (1348)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Messingham,_Florilegum_Insulae_Sanctorum_\(1624\).png "Thomas Messingham, Florilegum Insulae Sanctorum (1624)")
[Thomas Messingham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Messingham "Thomas Messingham"), Florilegum Insulae Sanctorum (1624)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St._Patrick,_Bishop_of_Ireland_Met_DP890884.jpg "Jacques Callot, St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland (1636)")
[Jacques Callot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Callot "Jacques Callot"), St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland (1636)
- [](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Harry_Clarke,_Saint_Patrick_\(detail\)_\(1925\).jpg "Harry Clarke, Saint Patrick (detail) (1925)")
[Harry Clarke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Clarke "Harry Clarke"), Saint Patrick (detail) (1925)
In literature
- [Pedro Calderón de la Barca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Calder%C3%B3n_de_la_Barca "Pedro Calderón de la Barca") wrote *El Purgatorio de San Patricio* in 1634.[\[167\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-PLT-168)
- [Robert Southey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Southey "Robert Southey") wrote a [ballad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballad "Ballad") called "Saint Patrick's Purgatory", first published in 1798, based on popular legends surrounding the saint's name.[\[167\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-PLT-168)
- Patrick is mentioned in a 17th-century ballad about "[Saint George and the Dragon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_and_the_Dragon_\(ballad\) "St. George and the Dragon (ballad)")"
- [Stephen R. Lawhead](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_R._Lawhead "Stephen R. Lawhead") wrote the fictional *Patrick: Son of Ireland* loosely based on the saint's life, including imagined accounts of training as a druid and service in the Roman army before his conversion.[\[168\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-169)
In film
- *[St. Patrick: The Irish Legend](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick:_The_Irish_Legend "St. Patrick: The Irish Legend")* is a 2000 television historical drama film about the saint's life. Patrick is portrayed by [Patrick Bergin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Bergin "Patrick Bergin").
- *I am Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland* is a 2020 film based on Patrick's own writings and the earliest traditions. Patrick is portrayed by Seán Ó Meallaigh, with Robert McCormack playing him when he is younger and [John Rhys-Davies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rhys-Davies "John Rhys-Davies") in later life.
See also
- [Saint Mun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Mun "Saint Mun")
- [Saint Patrick, patron saint archive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Catholic_Church/Patron_Archive/March_17 "Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/March 17")
- [Saint Patrick's Breastplate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Breastplate "Saint Patrick's Breastplate")
- [Saint Patrick's Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day "Saint Patrick's Day")
- [Saint Patrick's saltire, cross and flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Saltire "Saint Patrick's Saltire")
- [St Patrick halfpenny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick_halfpenny "St Patrick halfpenny")
- [St Patrick's blue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_blue "St Patrick's blue")
- [St Patrick's Purgatory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Purgatory "St Patrick's Purgatory")
- [St Patrick's Rock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Rock "St Patrick's Rock")
Notes
1. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-2)**
- [Latin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language "Latin language"): *Pātricius*
- [Irish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language "Irish language"): *Pádraig*, Irish pronunciation: [\[ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish") or [\[ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Irish "Help:IPA/Irish")
- [Welsh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_language "Welsh language"): *Padrig*, Welsh pronunciation: [\[ˈpadrɪɡ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Welsh "Help:IPA/Welsh")
References
1. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-saint_index_1-0)**
["Saints by Cause"](http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/patrons.asp). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060810020809/http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/patrons.asp) from the original on 10 August 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2006.
2. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-3)**
Zackowitz, Maggie (17 March 2016). ["How St. Patrick became the patron saint of Nigeria"](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/03/17/470679579/how-did-st-patrick-get-to-be-the-patron-saint-of-nigeria). *NPR*. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
3. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-4)**
["Who Was St. Patrick?"](https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick). *[History.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History.com "History.com")*. 16 October 2023.
4. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-RitschelMichallon2022_5-0)**
Ritschel, Chelsea; Michallon, Clémence (17 March 2022). ["What is the meaning behind St Patrick's Day?"](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/st-patricks-day-ireland-history-b2037858.html). *[The Independent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Independent "The Independent")*. Retrieved 17 March 2022. "The day of celebration, which marks the day of St Patrick's death, is a religious holiday meant to celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and made official by the Catholic Church in the early 17th century. Observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church, the day was typically observed with services, feasts and alcohol."
5. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-6)**
["Who was Saint Patrick and why does he have a day?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210305195337/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/saint-patricks-day). *[National Geographic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Geographic "National Geographic")*. 1 February 2019. Archived from [the original](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/saint-patricks-day) on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
6. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-7)**
MacAnnaidh, S. (2013). *Irish History*. Parragon Books Ltd. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-4723-2723-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4723-2723-9 "Special:BookSources/978-1-4723-2723-9")
7. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-8)**
Both texts in original Latin, various translations and with images of all extant manuscript testimonies on the
["Saint Patrick's Confessio HyperStack website"](http://www.confessio.ie/). Royal Irish Academy Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200923221034/https://confessio.ie/) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
8. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-9)**
Macthéni, Muirchú maccu; White, Newport John Davis (1920). [*St. Patrick, his writings and life*](https://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA31). New York: The Macmillan Company. pp. 31–51, 54–60\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130530041229/http://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA31) from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
9. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-10)**
["Saints' Lives"](http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/sbook3.asp#int). *Internet Medieval Sources*. Fordham University. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170707174716/http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/sbook3.asp#int) from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
\[*[page needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources "Wikipedia:Citing sources")*\]
10. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Dumville90_11-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Dumville90_11-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Dumville90_11-2) [Dumville 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDumville1993), p. 90
11. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-EMN_12-0)** Eoin Mac Neill, *St. Patrick*, Clonmore and Reynolds, 1964, pp. 87–88
12. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-13)** Anthony Harvey, "The Significance of *Cothraige*", *[Ériu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89riu_\(journal\) "Ériu (journal)")* Vol. 36, 1985, pp. 1–9
13. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-14)**
["Muirchú's Life of Patrick"](https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T201045.html). *celt.ucc.ie*. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
14. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-15)** [Dumville 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDumville1993), p. 16
15. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-16)** See [Flechner 2011](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2011), pp. 125–26
16. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26_17-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn_1995,_p._26_17-1) [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), p. 26
17. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-18)** [Stancliffe 2004](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFStancliffe2004)
18. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Byrne78%E2%80%9379_19-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Byrne78%E2%80%9379_19-1) [Byrne 1973](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFByrne1973), pp. 78–79
19. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Henny_20-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Henny_20-1) [Hennessy, W. M.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Maunsell_Hennessy "William Maunsell Hennessy") (trans.) *[Annals of Ulster; otherwise, Annals of Senat](https://archive.org/stream/annalauladhannal01magu#page/4/mode/2up)*, Vol. I. Alexander Thom & Co. (Dublin), 1887.
20. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-21)** Dumville, pp. 116–; [Wood 2001](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFWood2001), p. 45 n.5
21. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Paor121-122_22-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Paor121-122_22-1) [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 121–22
22. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-23)** [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), p. 27
23. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Byrne80_24-0)** [Byrne 1973](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFByrne1973), p. 80
24. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-25)**
Thompson, E.A. (1999). *Who Was Saint Patrick?*. The Boydell Press. pp. 166–75\.
25. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-26)**
Roy Flechner (2019). [*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ). Princeton University Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0691190013](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0691190013 "Special:BookSources/978-0691190013")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611033943/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
26. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-27)**
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. p. 308.
27. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-28)**
Turner, J. H. (1890). ["An Inquiry as to the Birthplace of St. Patrick. By J.H. Turner, M.A. p. 268. Read before the Society, 8 January 1872. Archaeologia Scotica pp. 261–84. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Volume 5, 1890"](http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/arch-scot/article/view/320/318). *Archaeologia Scotica*. **5**: 261–84\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611011901/http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/arch-scot/article/view/320/318) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
28. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:1_29-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:1_29-1)
[Schama, Simon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Schama "Simon Schama") (2003). [*A History of Britain 1: 3000 BC–AD 1603 At the Edge of the World?*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_History_of_Britain_\(TV_series\)#DVDs_and_books "A History of Britain (TV series)") (Paperback 2003 ed.). London: [BBC Worldwide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Worldwide "BBC Worldwide"). p. 47. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-563-48714-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-563-48714-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-563-48714-2")
.
29. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-30)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), pp. 31–32
30. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:2_31-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:2_31-1) [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 339–43 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
31. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-32)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), pp. 31–32
32. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-33)**
MacNeill, Eoin (1926). ["The Native Place of St. Patrick"](https://archive.org/details/papersirishacad00macnuoft). *Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy*. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis: 118–40. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
noting that the western coasts of southern Scotland and northern England held little to interest a raider seeking quick access to booty and numerous slaves, while the southern coast of Wales offered both. In addition, the region was home to [Uí Liatháin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U%C3%AD_Liath%C3%A1in "Uí Liatháin") and possibly also [Déisi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9isi "Déisi") settlers during this time, so Irish raiders would have had the contacts to tell them precisely where to go to quickly obtain booty and capture slaves. MacNeill also suggests a possible home town in Wales based on naming similarities but allows that the transcription errors in manuscripts make this little more than an educated guess.
33. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-34)**
[Cadw](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadw "Cadw"). ["Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort (GM343)"](https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/sam/FullReport?lang=en&id=1011). *National Historic Assets of Wales*. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
34. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-35)**
Dumville, David (1999). *Saint Patrick*. Boydell Press. p. 22.
35. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-36)**
["Saint Patrick was 'Somerset man', study finds"](https://historyfirst.com/saint-patrick-was-somerset-man-study-finds/). *[History First](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_First&action=edit&redlink=1 "History First (page does not exist)")*. 25 June 2023.
36. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Avonmouth_37-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Avonmouth_37-1)
Ranelagh, John (1994). *A Short History of Ireland*. Cambridge University Press. p. 22.
37. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-38)**
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. p. 311.
38. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-39)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 88, 96; [Bury 1905](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFBury1905), p. 17
39. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-40)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), pp. 31–32
40. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-MoranCite_41-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-MoranCite_41-1)
Moran, Patrick Francis (1913). ["St. Patrick"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/St._Patrick) . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
41. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-ccel.org_42-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-ccel.org_42-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-ccel.org_42-2)
["Confession of St Patrick"](http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession/confession.html). *Christian Classics Ethereal Library*. 7 April 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140222170612/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession/confession.html) from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
42. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-2) [***d***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-3) [***e***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-4) [***f***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_43-5)
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. pp. 320–325\.
43. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-44)**
["Confession of St. Patrick, Part 17"](http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.v.html). *Christian Classics Ethereal Library*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100323033408/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.v.html) from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
44. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-45)**
Bieler, Ludwig. ["The Problem of 'Silua Focluti'"](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/irish-historical-studies/article/abs/the-problem-of-silua-focluti/7AE5977DDE65763412B9A8071B3AAEE6). Cambridge University Press.
45. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-2) [***d***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-3) [***e***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Rankin_46-4)
Rankin, J. Fred (1997). *Down Cathedral The Church of Saint Patrick of Down*. Ulster Historical Foundation. pp. 6–9\.
46. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-47)**
["Confession \#19"](http://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english#19). *St Patrick's Confessio*. Royal Irish Academy. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160319043407/http://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english#19) from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
47. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:0_48-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-:0_48-1)
Ramirez, Janina (2016). [*The Private Lives of the Saints: Power, Passion and Politics in Anglo-Saxon England*](https://books.google.com/books?id=CzW0DAAAQBAJ). Ebury Publishing. p. 89. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7535-5561-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7535-5561-3 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7535-5561-3")
.
48. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-49)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 99–100; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), p. 229; Confessio; 17–19
49. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-50)** [Bury, J.B., "Sources of the Early Patrician Documents", *The English Historical Review*, (Mandell Creighton et al, eds.), Longman., July 1904, p. 499](https://books.google.com/books?id=EBspAAAAYAAJ&dq=amator+of+auxerre&pg=PA497)
50. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-51)**
Bridgwater, William; Kurtz, Seymour, eds. (1963). "Saint Patrick". *The Columbia Encyclopedia* (3rd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 1611–12\.
51. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Moran_52-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Moran_52-1)
 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain "Public domain"):
Moran, Patrick Francis (1913). "[St. Patrick](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/St._Patrick "s:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/St. Patrick")". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
52. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-53)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), p. 100 Paor glosses Foclut as "west of [Killala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killala "Killala") Bay, in [County Mayo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Mayo "County Mayo")", but it appears that the location of Fochoill (Foclut or Voclut) is still a matter of debate. See [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), p. 215; Confessio; 17
53. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-54)** [Hood 1978](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFHood1978), p. 4
54. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-55)** [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), p. 51 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
55. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-56)**
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. pp. 332–335\.
56. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Bury81_57-0)** [Bury 1905](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFBury1905), p. 81
57. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-58)**
Dumville, David (1999). *Saint Patrick*. Boydell Press. p. 183-185.
58. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-59)**
Charles-Edwards, Thomas (2012). ["St Patrick and the Landscape of Early Christian Ireland"](https://www.asnc.cam.ac.uk/publications/Hughes/KH%20Vol%2010%202012%20Charles-Edwards.pdf) (PDF). University of Cambridge. pp. 17–21\.
59. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-60)**
["Confession of St. Patrick, Part 50"](http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.x.html). *Christian Classics Ethereal Library*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100323032748/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.x.html) from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
60. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-61)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 219–25; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 337–41 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors")); [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 104–07
61. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-62)**
["Confession \| St. Patrick's Confessio"](https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english). *www.confessio.ie*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210628134106/https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english) from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
62. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-63)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), p. 107; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 221–22
63. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-64)** Confessio; 21
64. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-65)**
["Letter To Coroticus, by Saint St. Patrick"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100322200755/http://www.yale.edu/glc/archive/1166.htm). Gilder Lehrman Center at Yale University. Archived from [the original](http://www.yale.edu/glc/archive/1166.htm) on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
65. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-66)**
Todd, James (1864). ["The Epistle on Coroticus"](https://books.google.com/books?id=um44AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA383). *St. Patrick: Apostle of Ireland: a Memoir of His Life and Mission, with an Introductory Dissertation on Some Early Usages of the Church in Ireland, and Its Historical Position from the Establishment of the English Colony to the Present Day*. Dublin: Hodges, Smith, & Co. pp. 383–85\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160501190103/https://books.google.com/books?id=um44AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA383) from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
66. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-2) [***d***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-3) [***e***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-4) [***f***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_defensio_67-5)
Thomas, Charles (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. University of California Press. pp. 339–344\.
67. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Thomas_denfensio_68-0)** Cite error: The named reference `Thomas denfensio` was invoked but never defined (see the [help page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cite_errors/Cite_error_references_no_text "Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text")).
68. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-69)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 109–13; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 226–30
69. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-70)** [Thompson 1980](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThompson1980)
70. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-71)** [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 337–41 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors")); [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 104–07; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 217–19
71. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-72)** See [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), p. 55
72. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-73)**
Both texts in original Latin and English translations and images of the Book of Armagh manuscript copy on the
["Saint Patrick's Confessio HyperStack website"](http://www.confessio.ie/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200923221034/https://confessio.ie/) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
73. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-74)** Aideen O'Leary, "An Irish Apocryphal Apostle: Muirchú's Portrayal of Saint Patrick" *The Harvard Theological Review* **89**.3 (July 1996), pp. 287–301, traces Muichù's sources and his explicit parallels of Patrick with [Moses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses "Moses"), the bringer of *rechte Litre*, the "letter of the Law"; the adversary, King [Lóegaire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3egaire_mac_N%C3%A9ill "Lóegaire mac Néill"), takes the role of Pharaoh.
74. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-75)** *Annals of Ulster*, AU 657.1: "Obitus... Ultán moccu Conchobair."
75. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-76)** Their works are found in Paor, pp. 154–74 & 175–97 respectively.
76. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-77)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 224–26
77. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-78)** [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), pp. 30–33. [Ramsay MacMullen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsay_MacMullen "Ramsay MacMullen")'s *Christianizing the Roman Empire* (Yale University Press, 1984) examines the better-recorded mechanics of conversion in the Empire, and forms the basis of Ó Cróinín's conclusions.
78. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-79)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 416–17 & 429–40
79. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-80)** This is presumed to refer to Patrick's [tonsure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsure "Tonsure").
80. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-81)** After [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), p. 32; [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), p. 180 See also [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), pp. 30–33
81. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-82)** The relevant annals are reprinted in [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 117–30
82. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-83)** Paor's conclusions at p. 135, the document itself is given at pp. 135–38.
83. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-84)** [St. Patrick's Day Facts: Snakes, a Slave, and a Saint](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090316-st-patricks-day-facts.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110629003537/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090316-st-patricks-day-facts.html) 29 June 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") *National Geographic* Retrieved 10 February 2011
84. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFlechner2019221_85-0)** [Flechner 2019](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2019), p. 221.
85. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-86)** Threlkeld, Caleb *Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum alphabetice dispositarum, sive, Commentatio de plantis indigenis præsertim Dublinensibus instituta. With An appendix of observations made upon plants, by Dr. Molyneux*, 1726, cited in "shamrock, n.", *The Oxford English Dictionary*, 2nd ed. 1989
86. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Monaghan2009_87-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Monaghan2009_87-1)
Monaghan, Patricia (2009). *The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore*. Infobase Publishing. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1438110370](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1438110370 "Special:BookSources/978-1438110370")
.
87. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Hegarty2012_88-0)**
Hegarty, Neil (2012). *Story of Ireland*. Ebury Publishing. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1448140398](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1448140398 "Special:BookSources/978-1448140398")
.
88. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-Santino1995_89-0)**
Santino, Jack (1995). [*All Around the Year: Holidays and Celebrations in American Life*](https://archive.org/details/allaroundyear00jack/page/80). University of Illinois Press. p. [80](https://archive.org/details/allaroundyear00jack/page/80). [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0252065163](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0252065163 "Special:BookSources/978-0252065163")
.
89. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-90)**
Homan, Roger (2006). *The Art of the Sublime: Principles of Christian Art and Architecture*. Ashgate Publishing. p. 37.
90. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-91)**
Roy Flechner (2019). [*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP213). [Princeton University Press](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University_Press "Princeton University Press"). p. 213. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-691-19001-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-691-19001-3 "Special:BookSources/978-0-691-19001-3")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611044123/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP213) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
91. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-92)** Robinson, William Erigena. New Haven Hibernian Provident Society. *St. Patrick and the Irish: an oration, before the Hibernian Provident Society, of New Haven, 17 March 1842*. [p. 8.](https://books.google.com/books?id=-TcNAAAAYAAJ&dq=saint+patrick+snakes&pg=PA8) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611044313/https://books.google.com/books?id=-TcNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA8&dq=saint+patrick+snakes) 11 June 2020 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine")
92. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-news.nationalgeographic.com_93-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-news.nationalgeographic.com_93-1) [***c***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-news.nationalgeographic.com_93-2)
Owen, James (13 March 2008). ["Snakeless in Ireland: Blame Ice Age, Not St. Patrick"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120510051854/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html). *National Geographic News*. Archived from [the original](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html) on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
93. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-94)**
[*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP211). [Princeton University Press](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton_University_Press "Princeton University Press"). 2019. p. 211. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0691190013](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0691190013 "Special:BookSources/978-0691190013")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611045053/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP211) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
94. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-95)**
[Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ith%C3%AD_%C3%93_h%C3%93g%C3%A1in "Dáithí Ó hÓgáin") (1991). *Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition*. Prentice Hall Press. p. 358.
95. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-96)** Corlett, Christiaan. "The Prehistoric Ritual Landscape of Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo". *The Journal of Irish Archaeology*, Vol. 9. Wordwell, 1998. p. 19
96. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-97)** Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. *Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition*. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp. 357–58
97. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-98)**
Franklin, Anna; Mason, Paul (2001). *Lammas: Celebrating Fruits of the First Harvest*. Llewellyn Publications. p. 26.
98. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-99)**
Nagy, Joseph Falaky (2006). "Acallam na Senórach". In Koch, John T. (ed.). *Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia*. Vol. 1. Oxford: ABC-CLIO. p. 8. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-85109-440-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85109-440-0 "Special:BookSources/978-1-85109-440-0")
.
99. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-mackillop_100-0)**
MacKillop, James (1998). "Acallam na Senórach". *Dictionary of Celtic Mythology*. Oxford. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[0-19-860967-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-860967-1 "Special:BookSources/0-19-860967-1")
.
`{{cite encyclopedia}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher "Category:CS1 maint: location missing publisher"))
100. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-101)** [Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ith%C3%AD_%C3%93_h%C3%93g%C3%A1in "Dáithí Ó hÓgáin"). *Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition*. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp. 360–61
101. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-102)**
[O'Donovan, John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O%27Donovan_\(scholar\) "John O'Donovan (scholar)"), ed. (1856). [*Annála Rioghachta Éireann. Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters ... with a Translation and Copious Notes*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_the_Four_Masters "Annals of the Four Masters"). 7 vols. Translated by O'Donovan (2nd ed.). Dublin: [Royal Irish Academy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Irish_Academy "Royal Irish Academy").
s.a. 493.3 [CELT editions](http://celt.ucc.ie/publishd.html). Full scans at [Internet Archive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"): [Vol. 1](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo01ocleuoft); [Vol. 2](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo02ocleuoft); [Vol. 3](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo03ocleuoft); [Vol. 4](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo04ocleuoft); [Vol. 5](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo05ocleuoft); [Vol. 6](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo06ocleuoft); [Indices](https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo07ocleuoft).
102. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-O'Rahilly_1942_103-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-O'Rahilly_1942_103-1) [O'Rahilly 1942](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFO'Rahilly1942)
103. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-104)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 141–43; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 182–83 [Bede](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede "Bede"), writing a century later, refers to [Palladius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius_\(bishop_of_Ireland\) "Palladius (bishop of Ireland)") only.
104. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-105)** Byrne, pp. 78–79; [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 6–7, 88–89; [Duffy 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDuffy1997), pp. 16–17; [Fletcher 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFletcher1997), pp. 300–06; [Yorke 2006](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFYorke2006), p. 112
105. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-106)** There may well have been Christian "Irish" people in Britain at this time; [Goidelic-speaking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goidelic_languages "Goidelic languages") people were found on both sides of the [Irish Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Sea "Irish Sea"), with Irish being spoken from [Cornwall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwall "Cornwall") to [Argyll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyll "Argyll"). The influence of the [Kingdom of Dyfed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Dyfed "Kingdom of Dyfed") may have been of particular importance. See [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 161–72; [Dark 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDark2000), pp. 188–90; [Ó Cróinín 1995](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREF%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn1995), pp. 17–18; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 297–300 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
106. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-107)** [Duffy 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFDuffy1997), pp. 16–17; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), p. 305 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors"))
107. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-108)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 184–87; [Thomas 1981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFThomas1981), pp. 297–300 harvnb error: multiple targets (6×): CITEREFThomas1981 ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Harv_and_Sfn_template_errors "Category:Harv and Sfn template errors")); [Yorke 2006](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFYorke2006), pp. 112–14
108. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-109)** [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 233–40
109. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-110)** [Was St Patrick a slave-trading Roman official who fled to Ireland?](http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/was-st-patrick-a-slave-trading-roman-official-who-fled-to-ireland) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160308225050/http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/was-st-patrick-a-slave-trading-roman-official-who-fled-to-ireland) 8 March 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") 17 March 2012 Dr Roy Flechner Cambridge Research News. Retrieved 9 March 2016. This article was published in *Tome: Studies in Medieval History and Law in Honour of Thomas Charles-Edwards*, ed. F. Edmonds and P. Russell (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2011).
110. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-111)** See [Flechner 2011](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2011), pp. 130–33
111. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-112)** See [Flechner 2011](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFFlechner2011), pp. 127–28
112. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-113)** [Paor 1993](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFPaor1993), pp. 151–53; [Charles-Edwards 2000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#CITEREFCharles-Edwards2000), pp. 182–83
113. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-114)**
["Ὁ Ἅγιος Πατρίκιος Ἀπόστολος τῆς Ἰρλανδίας"](http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2959/sxsaintinfo.aspx) \[The Agios Patricios Apostle of Ireland\]. *ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ* \[*Great [Synaxaristes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaxarium "Synaxarium")*\] (in Greek). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110722002850/http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2959/sxsaintinfo.aspx) from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011. "Ημ. Εορτής: 17 Μαρτίου \[Feast Date: March 17\]"
114. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-115)**
Gregory Cleary (1913). ["Luke Wadding"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/Luke_Wadding) . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
115. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-116)**
["Ask a Franciscan: Saints Come From All Nations – March 2001 Issue of St. Anthony Messenger Magazine Online"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160510112657/http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar2001/Wiseman.asp#F4). Archived from [the original](http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar2001/Wiseman.asp#F4) on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
116. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-117)**
["St Patrick the Bishop of Armagh and Enlightener of Ireland"](http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/03/17/100821-st-patrick-the-bishop-of-armagh-and-enlightener-of-ireland). *oca.org*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131113013646/http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/03/17/100821-st-patrick-the-bishop-of-armagh-and-enlightener-of-ireland) from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2007.
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O Suilleabhain, Sean (1952). *Miraculous Plenty: Irish Religious Folktales and Legends*. University College Dublin. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-9565628-2-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9565628-2-1 "Special:BookSources/978-0-9565628-2-1")
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119. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-120)** [About Us](http://www.saintpatrickcentre.com/about.php) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110704013603/http://www.saintpatrickcentre.com/about.php) 4 July 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") *The Saint Patrick Centre* Retrieved 20 February 2011
120. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-121)**
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["В месяцеслов Русской Православной Церкви включены имена древних святых, подвизавшихся в западных странах / Новости / Патриархия.ru"](http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4829992.html). *Патриархия.ru* (in Russian). Retrieved 27 June 2023.
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123. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-124)**
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124. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-125)**
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126. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-127)**
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["Happy Saint Patrick's Day, 2011"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131112100211/http://www.maynoothcollege.ie/news/HappySaintPatricksDay2011.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.maynoothcollege.ie/news/HappySaintPatricksDay2011.shtml) on 12 November 2013.
129. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-130)**
["Our Stained Glass Windows – St. Patrick"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131112105304/http://www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org/Stained%20Glass%20Chapel%20-%20St%20Patrick.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org/Stained%20Glass%20Chapel%20-%20St%20Patrick.html) on 12 November 2013.
130. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-131)**
["Optional Memorial of St. Patrick, bishop and confessor (Solemnity Aus, Ire, Feast New Zeal, Scot, Wales) – March 17, 2012 – Liturgical Calendar – Catholic Culture"](http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2012-03-17). Catholicculture.org. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180716224150/https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2012-03-17) from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
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132. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-133)**
["The Church of Ireland Diocese of Armagh \| For information about the Church of Ireland Diocese of Armagh"](http://armagh.anglican.org/). Armagh.anglican.org. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130203064908/http://armagh.anglican.org/) from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
133. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-hm40_134-0)** Hayes-McCoy, p. 40
134. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-morley_135-0)**
Morley, Vincent (27 September 2007). ["St. Patrick's Cross"](http://home.connect.ie/morley/cros_e.htm). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131113013547/http://home.connect.ie/morley/cros_e.htm) from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
135. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-136)**
Colgan, Nathaniel (1896). "The Shamrock in Literature: a critical chronology". *Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland*. **26**. [Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society_of_Antiquaries_of_Ireland "Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland"): 349.
136. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-137)**
Swift, Jonathan (2008). ["Letter 61"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130525165044/http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/swift/jonathan/s97s/letter61.html). *Journal to Stella*. eBooks@Adelaide. [University of Adelaide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Adelaide "University of Adelaide"). Archived from [the original](https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/swift/jonathan/s97s/letter61.html) on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
137. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-badges_138-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-badges_138-1)
Croker, Thomas Crofton (1839). [*The Popular Songs of Ireland. Collected and Edited, with Introductions and Notes*](https://books.google.com/books?id=edtUAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA7). Henry Colburn. pp. 7–9\. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611043057/https://books.google.com/books?id=edtUAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA7) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
138. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-139)** [*Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland*](https://archive.org/stream/journalofroyalso18royauoft) Vol. 18, plate facing p. 249 'Kilmalkedar'; fig. 4 is "St. Patrick's Cross" \[p. 251\] of children in S. of Irl. c. 1850s
139. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-140)** Colgan, p. 351, fn.2
140. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-141)**
"Irishman's Diary: The Patrick's Cross". *[The Irish Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irish_Times "The Irish Times")*. 13 March 1935. p. 4.
141. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-142)**
["The Bell of St Patrick and its Shrine"](https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Collections-Research/Collection/The-Treasury/Artefact/The-Bell-of-St-Patrick-and-its-Shrine/95577a65-66da-4228-869b-0e3644273d32). Dublin: [National Museum of Ireland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Ireland "National Museum of Ireland"). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250422055712/https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Collections-Research/Collection/The-Treasury/Artefact/The-Bell-of-St-Patrick-and-its-Shrine/95577a65-66da-4228-869b-0e3644273d32) from the original on 22 April 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
142. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-143)**
[Haweis, Hugh Reginald](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Reginald_Haweis "Hugh Reginald Haweis") (1878), ["Bell"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Bell) , in Baynes, T. S. (ed.), *[Encyclopædia Britannica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica "Encyclopædia Britannica")*, vol. 3 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 536
143. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-144)** The bell was formerly known as "The Bell of St Patrick's Will" (**Clog an eadhachta Phatraic**),[\[142\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_note-143) in reference to a medieval forgery which purported to have been the saint's [last will and testament](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_will_and_testament "Last will and testament").
144. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-145)** [Treasures of early Irish art, 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D.: from the collections of the National Museum of Ireland, Royal Irish Academy, Trinity College, Dublin](http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15324coll10/id/113771/rec/1) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131226083556/http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15324coll10/id/113771/rec/1) 26 December 2013 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine"), an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), bell No. 45, shrine \# 61; [*The Bellshrine of St. Patrick*](http://clanmaclochlainn.com/bell.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20101120212106/http://clanmaclochlainn.com/bell.htm) 20 November 2010 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine"), Clan McLaughlan website
145. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-146)**
Butler, Jenny (2012), "St. Patrick, Folklore and Irish National Identity" 84–101 in Heimo, Anne; Hovi, Tuomas; Vasenkari, Maria, ed. Saint Urho – Pyhä Urho – From Fakelore To Folklore, University of Turku: Finland. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-951-29-4897-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-951-29-4897-0 "Special:BookSources/978-951-29-4897-0")
146. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-147)**
["Placenames NI – The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120317011157/http://www.placenamesni.org/resultsdetail.phtml?entry=12654). Placenamesni.org. Archived from [the original](http://www.placenamesni.org/resultsdetail.phtml?entry=12654) on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
147. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-148)**
["Cruach Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/114135?s=Croagh+Patrick). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180811195759/https://www.logainm.ie/en/114135?s=Croagh+Patrick) from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
148. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-149)**
["Loch Dearg, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Loch+Dearg&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210308151449/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Loch+Dearg&str=on) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
149. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-150)**
De Breffny, Brian (1983). *Ireland: A Cultural Encyclopedia*. London: Thames and Hudson. p. 190.
150. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-151)**
["Dún Padraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=D%C3%BAn+P%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210308133110/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=D%C3%BAn+P%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
151. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-auto_152-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-auto_152-1)
["'St Patrick's life shows the ties between Ireland and Somerset'"](https://mattbell.org/st-patricks-life-shows-the-ties-between-ireland-and-somerset). *Matthew Bell*. 16 March 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201001022732/https://mattbell.org/st-patricks-life-shows-the-ties-between-ireland-and-somerset) from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
152. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-153)** Ademi de Domerham Historia de Rebus Gestis Glastoniensibus, ed. T. Hearne, Oxford, 1727, see: Glastonbury Library.
153. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-154)** J. Carney, The Problem of St. Patrick, Dublin 1961, p. 121.
154. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-155)**
["Ard Padraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Ard+P%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210309014207/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Ard+P%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
155. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-156)**
["Old Patrick Water, linear feature"](http://saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk/place.php?id=1332859396). *Saints in Scottish Place-names*. Commemorations of Saints in Scottish Place-names. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150921165022/http://saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk/place.php?id=1332859396) from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
156. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-157)** *Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Sive Atlas Novus* Volume V, Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam 1654
157. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-158)** Registrum Monasterii de Passelet, Paisley Abbey Register 1208, 1211, 1226, 1396
158. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-159)** *A History of Elderslie* by Derek P. Parker (1983), pp. vi, 3–4, 5
159. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-160)**
["Tobar Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Tobar+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201229210105/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Tobar+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
160. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-161)**
["St Patrick's Well"](https://www.lakesguides.co.uk/html/lgaz/lk11041.htm). Retrieved 3 October 2021.
161. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-162)**
["Diocese of Carlisle"](https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/). Retrieved 3 October 2021.
162. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-163)**
["PatterdalePAST: St Patrick's Church"](https://www.patterdalepast.co.uk/church/). Retrieved 29 April 2024.
163. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-164)** [Bampton](https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/acny/church/15/)
164. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-165)**
["St Patrick - Diocese of Carlisle"](https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/acny/church/262/). *www.carlislediocese.org.uk*. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
165. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-166)**
["Teampall Phádraig, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann – Placenames Database of Ireland"](https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Teampall+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on). *logainm.ie*. Government of Ireland. 13 December 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210308102501/https://www.logainm.ie/en/s?txt=Teampall+Ph%C3%A1draig&str=on) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
166. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-167)**
["Introduction"](http://saintpatrickscrossliverpool.webs.com/). *Saint Patrick's Cross Liverpool*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121029021209/http://saintpatrickscrossliverpool.webs.com/) from the original on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
167. ^ [***a***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-PLT_168-0) [***b***](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-PLT_168-1) Philip Edwards, *Pilgrimage and Literary Tradition* (2005), p. 153
168. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#cite_ref-169)**
["Patrick: Son of Ireland \| Books"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090528101617/http://www.stephenlawhead.com/books/patrick.shtml). StephenLawhead.com. 23 August 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.stephenlawhead.com/books/patrick.shtml) on 28 May 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
Works cited
- [Bury, John Bagnell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._Bury "J. B. Bury") (1905). *Life of St. Patrick and His Place in History*. London: Macmillan.
- [Byrne, Francis J.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_John_Byrne "Francis John Byrne") (1973). *Irish Kings and High-Kings*. London: Batsford. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7134-5882-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-5882-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-5882-4")
.
- [Charles-Edwards, T.M.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Charles-Edwards "Thomas Charles-Edwards") (2000). *Early Christian Ireland*. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-521-36395-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-36395-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-521-36395-2")
.
- [Dark, Ken](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Dark "Ken Dark") (2000). *Britain and the End of the Roman Empire*. Stroud: Tempus. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7524-2532-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7524-2532-0 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7524-2532-0")
.
- Paor, Liam De (1993). *Saint Patrick's World: The Christian Culture of Ireland's Apostolic Age*. Dublin: Four Courts Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-85182-144-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-144-0 "Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-144-0")
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- Duffy, Seán, ed. (1997). [*Atlas of Irish History*](https://archive.org/details/atlasofirishhist00sean_0). Dublin: Gill and Macmillan. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7171-3093-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7171-3093-1 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7171-3093-1")
.
- Dumville, David M. (1993). *Saint Patrick, AD 493–1993*. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-85115-332-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85115-332-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-85115-332-2")
.
- Flechner, Roy (2011). "Patrick's Reasons for Leaving Britain". In Russell, Edmonds (ed.). *Tome: Studies in Medieval Celtic History and Law in Honour of Thomas Charles-Edwards*. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-84383-661-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84383-661-2 "Special:BookSources/978-1-84383-661-2")
.
- Flechner, Roy (2019). [*Saint Patrick Retold: The Legend and History of Ireland's Patron Saint*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0691184647](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0691184647 "Special:BookSources/978-0691184647")
. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611033943/https://books.google.com/books?id=YdVsDwAAQBAJ) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- [Fletcher, Richard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_A._Fletcher "Richard A. Fletcher") (1997). *The Conversion of Europe: From Paganism to Christianity 371–1386 AD*. London: Harper Collins. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-00-686302-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-00-686302-1 "Special:BookSources/978-0-00-686302-1")
.
- Hood, A.B.E. (1978). *St. Patrick: his Writings, and Muirchú's Life*. London and Chichester: Phillimore. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-85033-299-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85033-299-5 "Special:BookSources/978-0-85033-299-5")
.
- [Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1ibh%C3%AD_%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn "Dáibhí Ó Cróinín") (1995). *Early Medieval Ireland: 400–1200*. London: Longman. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-582-01565-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-01565-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-582-01565-4")
.
- [O'Rahilly, T. F.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._F._O%27Rahilly "T. F. O'Rahilly") (1942). *The Two Patricks: A Lecture on the History of Christianity in Fifth-Century Ireland*. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
- Stancliffe, Claire (2004). ["Patrick (*fl.* 5th cent.)"](http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21562). *[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography#Oxford_Dictionary_of_National_Biography "Dictionary of National Biography")* (online ed.). Oxford University Press. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_\(identifier\) "Doi (identifier)"):[10\.1093/ref:odnb/21562](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fref%3Aodnb%2F21562). Retrieved 17 February 2007.
(Subscription, [Wikipedia Library](https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/88/) access or [UK public library membership](https://www.oxforddnb.com/help/subscribe#public) required.)
- [Thomas, Charles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Thomas_\(historian\) "Charles Thomas (historian)") (1981). *Christianity in Roman Britain to AD 500*. London: Batsford. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-7134-1442-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-1442-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-1442-4")
.
- Thompson, E.A. (1980). Caird, G.B.; Chadwick, Henry (eds.). "St. Patrick and Coroticus". *The Journal of Theological Studies*. **31**: 12–27\. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_\(identifier\) "Doi (identifier)"):[10\.1093/jts/XXXI.1.12](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fjts%2FXXXI.1.12). [ISSN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_\(identifier\) "ISSN (identifier)") [0022-5185](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0022-5185).
- White, Newport J.D. (1920). [*St. Patrick, His Writings and Life*](https://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ). New York: Macmillan. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200611043216/https://books.google.com/books?id=1OZlAAAAMAAJ) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- Wood, Ian (2001). *The Missionary Life: Saints and the Evangelisation of Europe 400–1050*. London: Longman. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-582-31213-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-31213-5 "Special:BookSources/978-0-582-31213-5")
.
- [Yorke, Barbara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Yorke "Barbara Yorke") (2006). *The Conversion of Britain: Religion, Politics and Society in Britain c. 600–800*. London: Longman. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-582-77292-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-77292-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-582-77292-2")
.
Further reading
- [Brown, Peter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Robert_Lamont_Brown "Peter Robert Lamont Brown") (2003). [*The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000*](https://archive.org/details/riseofwesternchr0002brow) (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-631-22138-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-631-22138-8 "Special:BookSources/978-0-631-22138-8")
.
- [Cahill, Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cahill "Thomas Cahill") (1995). *How the Irish Saved Civilization*. New York: Doubleday. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-385-41849-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-385-41849-2 "Special:BookSources/978-0-385-41849-2")
.
- [Dumville, David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dumville "David Dumville") (1994). "The Death Date of St. Patrick". In Howlett, David (ed.). *The Book of Letters of Saint Patrick the Bishop*. Dublin: Four Courts Press. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-85182-136-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-136-5 "Special:BookSources/978-1-85182-136-5")
.
- [Healy, John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Healy_\(bishop\) "John Healy (bishop)") (1892). ["The Arrival of Saint Patrick"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_ancient_Irish_church/Chapter_2) . *The Ancient Irish Church* (1 ed.). London: Religious Tract Society. pp. 17–25\.
- [Hughes, Kathleen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Hughes_\(historian\) "Kathleen Hughes (historian)") (1972). *Early Christian Ireland: Introduction to the Sources*. London: Hodder & Stoughton. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-340-16145-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-340-16145-6 "Special:BookSources/978-0-340-16145-6")
.
- Iannello, Fausto (2008). "Note storiche sull'*Epistola ad Milites Corotici* di San Patrizio". *Atti della Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, Classe di Lettere, Filosofia e Belle Arti*. **84**: 275–85\.
- Iannello, Fausto (2012), "Il modello paolino nell’*Epistola ad milites Corotici* di san Patrizio, *Bollettino di Studi Latini* 42/1: 43–63
- Iannello, Fausto (2013), "Notes and Considerations on the Importance of St. Patrick's Epistola ad Milites Corotici as a Source on the Origins of Celtic Christianity and Sub-Roman Britain". *Imago Temporis. Medium Aevum* 7 2013: 97–137
- Moran, Patrick Francis Cardinal (1913). ["St. Patrick"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_\(1913\)/St._Patrick) . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). *[Catholic Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia "Catholic Encyclopedia")*. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- [McCaffrey, Carmel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel_McCaffrey "Carmel McCaffrey") (2003). *In Search of Ancient Ireland*. Chicago: Ivan R Dee. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-1-56663-525-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-56663-525-7 "Special:BookSources/978-1-56663-525-7")
.
- MacQuarrie, Alan (1997). *The Saints of Scotland: Essays in Scottish Church History AD 450–1093*. Edinburgh: John Donald. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)")
[978-0-85976-446-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85976-446-9 "Special:BookSources/978-0-85976-446-9")
.
- [O'Loughlin, Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_O%27Loughlin "Thomas O'Loughlin") (1999). *Saint Patrick: The Man and his Works*. London: S.P.C.K.
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2000). *Celtic Theology*. London: Continuum.
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2005). *Discovering Saint Patrick*. New York: Orbis.
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2005). "The Capitula of Muirchu's Vita Patricii: do they point to an underlying structure in the text?". *Analecta Bollandiana*. **123**: 79–89\. [doi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_\(identifier\) "Doi (identifier)"):[10\.1484/J.ABOL.4.00190](https://doi.org/10.1484%2FJ.ABOL.4.00190).
- O'Loughlin, Thomas (2007). Nagy, J. F. (ed.). *The Myth of Insularity and Nationality in Ireland*. Dublin: Four Courts Press. pp. 132–40\.
External links
- [Works by Saint Patrick](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/39618) at [Project Gutenberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gutenberg "Project Gutenberg")
- [*The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick*](http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18482), edited by James O'Leary, 1880, from [Project Gutenberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gutenberg "Project Gutenberg").
- [Works by or about Saint Patrick](https://archive.org/search.php?query=%28%22Saint+Patrick%22+OR+%22St.+Patrick%22%29) at the [Internet Archive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive")
- [Works by Saint Patrick](https://librivox.org/author/4359) at [LibriVox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibriVox "LibriVox") (public domain audiobooks) 
- [St. Patrick's Confession and Epistola online from the Royal Irish Academy](http://www.confessio.ie/)
- [BBC: Religion & Ethics, Christianity: Saint Patrick (Incl. audio)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/patrick_1.shtml)
- [Opera Omnia by Migne Patristica Latina with analytical indexes](http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/30_10_0387-0493-_Patricius,_Sanctus.html)
- [CELT](http://www.ucc.ie/celt) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170325183244/http://www.ucc.ie/celt) 25 March 2017 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine"): Corpus of Electronic Texts at [University College Cork](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_College_Cork "University College Cork") includes Patrick's [*Confessio*](http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/L201060/index.html) and [*Epistola*](http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/L201061/index.html), as well as various lives of Saint Patrick.
- [Saint Patrick's Confessio Hypertext Stack](http://www.confessio.ie/) as published by the Royal Irish Academy Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources (DMLCS) freely providing digital scholarly editions of Saint Patrick's writings as well as translations and digital facsimiles of all extant manuscript copies.
- [History Hub.ie](http://historyhub.ie/saint-patrick-historical-man-and-popular-myth): Saint Patrick – Historical Man and Popular Myth by Elva Johnston (University College Dublin)
- [Saint Patrick Timeline \| Church History Timelines](http://www.churchhistorytimelines.com/pages/st-patrick) |
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