Born to British-Romano parents, Patrick inherited Christianity from Roman legionaries who settled in Britain as veterans.
After spending 6 years of enslavement at the hands of Irish pagans, Patrick returned to Britain. He excelled in his studies, and after being ordained as a priest and then a Bishop by St. Germanus, he returned to Ireland as a missionary.
Overwhelming support of the king for St. Patrick is attributed to the Divine powers that he possessed and this is considered his special work.
There were many attempts on his life by frustrated opponents but, in spite of that, St. Patrick continued his good work and collected many disciples. Some members of the royal family also converted to Christianity.
He is said to have overthrown an idol at the Crom Cruach in Leitrim and to have built a church in that place. In 444 he received a commendation from Pope Leo of Rome and the Cathedral Church of Armagh was declared as the Primatial See of Ireland. Many of the Saints’ decrees and records of an early synod are available in the Collectio Canonum Hibernensis to which two other Bishops, Auxilius and Iserninus of Southern Ireland, attached their names.
Other sources tell us that his last years were spent in prayer. He is said to have had foreseen the accomplishment of his labors at Croagh Patrick and is said to have lived a long life. Many other sources portray him as a truly holy, attractive and dynamic person with a strong love for the Irish.
His cultivation of aristocracy and his aggressiveness against the Druid priests are seen as a strategy to protect the converts from retribution. His preaching of God, worship, justice and morality is said to be the result of his strong love and openness towards his fellow Irish people. We hear of his extraordinary gifts and miracles from later literature, but we can get a good idea of his wholesome spirituality from his own writings: namely, Confession, Lorica and his letter to Coroticus.
