The patron saint of Ireland was born in Roman Britain - perhaps in what is now Scotland - to an aristocratic Roman family. His father, Calpurnius, was a senator and tax collector in some long forgotten town. His birth name may have been Magonus or Succetus and about the only thing we know for sure is he loved Jesus and didn’t like snakes. At 16, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and enslaved in Ireland for six years. Some scholars argue he instead fled Britain to avoid onerous government service, as had many others in the so-called flight of the curiales. This isn’t the only controversy in the saint’s history. At point he was put on trial, accused of financial improprieties by other Christians, but he had excellent legal representation and was found not guilty. Here’s what can be reliably said about St Patrick.
© 2024 John Oliver
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