St. Patrick: a feast of green
From shepherd slave boy to missionary bishop who brought Christianity to the pagan
Irish in the 5th century... this Thursday sees the feast day of St Patrick,
Ireland’s much-loved patron saint. But what is the special appeal of St. Patrick and why has his name day become such a global phenonomen and feast of green? To find out more, Susy Hodges spoke to Father Matthew Gamber, a Jesuit priest of Irish descent who comes from the U.S. city of Chicago where a big parade is held every year on St. Patrick’s Day during which the city’s river is dyed green.
Father Matthew begins by paying tribute to St. Patrick’s dedication and skill in carrying out his dangerous mission to Christianise the Irish during the 5th century: "He really did build on the desire for the divine among the (Irish) people" and displayed "a lot of courage" and "met with great sucess."
Father Matthew goes on to debunk the ancient popular legend that St Patrick was responsible for banishing snakes from Ireland and adds that when it comes to the connection between St Patrick and the shamrock he says that the saint "saw the shamrock as a perfect example" and "teaching tool" for "explaining the Trinity, how there are three persons and one God."
Asked whether he believes the celebrations for St Patrick's Day are becoming too secular, Father Matthew says the key is to "mix fun and faith: "it's not just meant to be a drinking holiday or even just a secular holiday but it's also a religious holiday, a saint's feast day."
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