By Leo Martinez The first fact that might surprise any of our readers is that St. Patrick was not from Ireland. He was born in Britain and was the son of a Christian deacon. However, it is thought that his father only chose this profession due to tax purposes and therefore his family was not as religious as many believed. At the age of 16, St. Patrick was taken as a prisoner by the Irish Raiders. He remained in captivity for six years. While in captivity he was kept away from society and worked as a shepherd. It is during this time that he found comfort in religion. This led to him becoming a devout Christian. St. Patrick made it a passion to convert the Irish into Christians. St. Patrick escaped Ireland on a boat when (legend has it) he claimed he was led to by the voices he heard, presumably the voice of his God. He returned to Britain shortly after, however was soon captured again for a short time and then reunited with his family. St. Patrick became a missionary. Although he wasn’t initially welcomed in Ireland, he became an important figure in Ireland, leading causes for women, the poor and slaves. He also enriched their learning by establishing monasteries. Through all his hard work and dedication St. Patrick is now credited with influencing Ireland’s culture and history. This is why Ireland and several other countries celebrate St. Patrick on March 17th of every year.
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