Legends of St. Patrick

Saint Patrick drove away all the snakes in Ireland. Snakes are a metaphor for the Druids, priests of the Celts.

Saint Patrick was escaping slavery in Ireland and met a ship. He paid his passage with money, but on arrival to land there was no food to be found. The leader said to Saint Patrick: �....What have you to say for yourself, Christian? You boast that your God is all-powerful. So why can�t you pray for us, you know how badly hunger threatens us; its beginning to look as if we may not survive to see another living soul.But I told them with great confidence,Turn trustingly to the Lord who is my God and put your faith in him with all your heart, because nothing is impossible to him. On this same day, he will send us food sufficient for our journey, because for him there is abundance everywhere And with the help of God that is how things turned out. Suddenly, we saw a herd of pigs right before our very eyes, Seeming to block our path. Wasting no time, they killed a very great number...�

Saint Patrick dreamed of a man named Victorius when he returned home. Victorius handed him letters that read Vox Hiberionacum - The Voice of The Irish. Saint Patrick then heard voices in his dream crying in unision for him to come back. He decided to go to Saint Martin�s monastery to learn the faith.

King Loeghaire (pron. LEER-EE) sent out men to kill Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick changed himself into a white fawn with a bird on his shoulder. The seven men with him changed into deer.

Saint Patrick went to the court of King Loegaire to convert the King to Christianity. The Druids Lucat Mael and Lochru insulted Saint Patrick and his religion. He became angry and prayed that the druid Lochru would die. A mysterious force lifted Lochru into the air and dropped him headfirst onto the ground. His skull split on a rock and he instantly died.

After Lochru�s death at the palace of King Loegaire, Lucat Mael tried to kill Saint Patrick by putting poison in his drink. Saint Patrick turned it to ice. He challenged Saint Patrick to a contest of miracles and caused a snowfall. Saint Patrick melted the snow. The King of Ireland then sent Lucat Mael and a messenger of Saint Patrick into a hut and put it on fire. Saint Patrick�s messenger wore Lucat Mael�s cloak and Lucat Mael wore Saint Patrick�s. The messenger lived, while Lucat Mael died with the cloak intact.

St. Patrick is said to have put a werewolf curse on an Irish family who mocked Christianity.

Loire Valley, France. Saint Patrick travelled from Ireland to visit Saint Martin in Tours. It was Christmas and he laid under a tree to shelter himself from the wind. The tree shed its blossoms to protect him and every Christmas the tree blooms flowers.

Saint Patrick was tending a dying woman who said she needed to eat rushes in order to live. Saint Patrick blessed the rushes, they became leeks, and the woman revived after eating them.

St. Patrick chased the Devil through Ireland. Satan found a mountain in his way, bit off a chunk , and ran on. He dropped the chunk at Cashel. The mountain he dropped at Cashel is known as The Devil�s Bit.

Saint Patrick fasted forty days and nights during Lent on the mountain Croagh Patrick. He was tempted by demons and black ravens. An angel came and granted him a reward for his endurance. He asked that the Irish remain Christian until the end of time; an ocean drown the country seven years before the day of Judgment so that they would be spared the horrors of the Last Day; the Saxons invading Britain not hold Ireland; and finally that he judge the Irish on Judgment Day.

The sun did not set for 12 days and nights when Saint Patrick died.Legend has it each year on March 17th fish rise from the sea and pass before Saint Patrick�s altar.