Orthodox Feast of St Patrick, the Enlightener of Ireland, March 17

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia ^

[Kolokotronis]

St. Patrick Enlightener of Ireland

Apolytikion of Saint Patrick. Third Tone

O Holy Hierarch, equal of the Apostles, Saint Patrick, wonderworker and enlightener of Ireland: Intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of offences.

Kontakion of Saint Patrick. Fourth Tone Be quick to anticipate

The Master revealed you as a skilful fisher of men; and casting forth nets of Gospel preaching, you hauled up the heathen to piety. Those who were the children of idolatrous darkness you rendered sons of day through holy Baptism. O Patrick, intercede for us who honour your memory.

Reading:

St Patrick, the Apostle of the Irish, was seized from his native Britain by Irish marauders when he was sixteen years old. Though born the son of a deacon and grandson of a priest about 373 AD, it was not until his captivity that he sought out the Lord with his whole heart. In his Confession, the testament he wrote towards the end of his life, he says, "After I came to Ireland - every day I had to tend sheep and many times a day I prayed, the love of God and His fear came to me more and more, and my faith was strengthened. And my spirit was so moved that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and almost as many at night, and this even when I was staying in the woods and on the mountain. And I would rise for prayer before daylight, through snow, through frost, through rain, and I felt no harm". After six years of slavery, he was guided by God to make his escape from Ireland, and afterwards struggled in the monastic life at Auxerre in Gaul, under the guidance of the holy Bishop Germanus. Many years later he was ordained Bishop and sent back to Ireland around 432 AD, to convert the Irish to Christ. His arduous labours bore so much fruit that within seven years, three Bishops were sent from Gaul to help him shepherd his flock, "My brethren and sons whom I have baptised in the Lord - so many thousands of people", he says in his Confession. His apostolic work was not accomplished without much "weariness and painfulness", long journeys through difficult country, and many perils; he says his very life was in danger twelve times. When he came to Ireland as its enlightener, it was a pagan country, and when he ended his earthly life around 461 AD, some thirty years later, the Faith of Christ was established in every corner of Ireland.

[xzins]

Thanks for the response. It ties in with what I've been reading, and what I probably poorly explained.

Any websites, articles, or books recommended on the era of Patrick and the tendency toward a more eastern way of practicing their Christianity?

[Agrarian]

"It wasn't really until the Synod of Whitby that Rome made a big push for control. That in and of itself made at least some sense since there is no question but that the bishop of Rome was and is the Patriarch of the West."

This is true, but it is also important to remember that while the Eastern Patriarchs were as prone as any to try to solidify control over what they felt were their proper spheres of influence, it is also true that numerous times they have bowed to reality and blessed the creation first, of independent national churches with effective self-government, and later, the actual creation of Patriarchates in those countries -- Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, etc... I can think of no good reason why Rome wouldn't have done the same, although there may be those reasons.

There were still strong forces for unity and uniformity in the Orthodox world, in spite of the creation of independently governed churches. Those forces exist still today -- one can argue with fairly good evidence that Orthodox Christians in Lebanon are more like Orthodox Christians in northern Russia in their liturgics and practices than are, say Catholics in Germany like those in Argentina. And this is without any centralized authority to create or enforce that unity.

Had Ireland been in the east, there would be a Patriarch of Ireland today.

On second thought, maybe that's a good argument for Rome doing things the way it did! :-)

[Kolokotronis]

"Had Ireland been in the east, there would be a Patriarch of Ireland today."

Absolutely no doubt about that in my mind.

"On second thought, maybe that's a good argument for Rome doing things the way it did! :-)"

Now, Now!

[lightman]

Many years ago I added a verse to the hymn "By All Your Saints in Warfare" (76.76.D--works with the tune for "The Church's One Foundation") to pay tribute to St. Patrick. It is the middle stanza:

By all your saints in warfare
For all your saints at rest
Your holy name, O Jesus
For-ev-er more be blest
For you have won the battle
That they might wear the crown
And now they shine in glory
Re-flect-ed from your throne.

All praise for him whose mission
Was to the em’rald isle
Who preached the peace of Jesus
To tribes he’d once re-viled.
Like him who used the shamrock
To teach your mys-ter-y
Let us be ever faithful
To you, bless’d Trin--it-y.

Then let us praise the Father
And worship God the Son
And sing to God the Spirit
E-ter-nal Three in One
‘Til all the ransomed number
Fall down before the throne
As-crib-ing pow’r and glory
And praise to God alone.

[Kolokotronis]

That's very nice. Thank-you!

[Ciexyz]

btt

[Ciexyz]

very nice poetry.

[lightman]

I can only take credit for the middle stanza. The first and last are found in many hymnals; in most cases there are many options for the middle based on the saint of the day.

[Ciexyz]

Let us worship the Lord through praises and song!