Happy St Patrick's Day!

If I heard the homily correctly this morning, I understand that St Patrick was not Irish! I'm sure many people know that, but it still strikes me as funny.   Apparently he was was from Roman Britain, which today might be part of Scotland.

He was taken as a slave to Ireland when he was a teenager and while there turned to God and became a man of prayer.  After he escaped he went on to become a priest and then returned to Ireland to share the faith with his former captors.

I cast this St Patrick medal from an antique medal that came from France.  The original had been worn and rubbed so much that St Patrick's face had been worn smooth, and you can see that in this casting.  I love worn medals because it's like someone who owned the medal before you is showing you their faith.

Did St Patrick really drive the snakes out of Ireland?  Well, yes and no.  Ireland never had snakes of the reptilian kind, but symbolically  snakes represent evil and sin in the world.  So you might say that St Patrick drove the "snakes" of pagan worship and traditions out of Ireland and replaced them with the Catholic Christian faith.

I hope you have a Happy St Patrick's day!