The gravesite of St Patrick, St Brigid, and St. Columcille in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland
It is in the graveyard of Down Cathedral, on Cathedral Hill. The gravesite became a popular pilgrimage destination for Roman Catholics preparing to emigrate from Ireland to the United States. The emigrants wanted handfuls of soil from St Patrick’s grave as a good luck charm. The large rock on the grave now is from the 1900s. It protects the site from additional damage.
The photo above is from The Saint Patrick Centre website:
St Patricks Grave – The St Patrick’s Centre (saintpatrickcentre.com)
The story of St Patrick
There really was a Saint Patrick! His birth name is Maewyn Succat, born in Wales around 385 A.D. His parents were wealthy Roman citizens. Historians agree on that much. First, the popular version of his life story:
At the age of 16, a group of from Ireland raided his town. Maewyn became a slave, transported to Ireland. He had to work as a shepherd, separated from other people. The loneliness and fear deepened his faith in Christianity, praying multiple times a day.
After about 6 years of slavery, he had a dream telling him to leave Ireland. He escaped away from the fields and found his way to the coast. A boat Captain took pity and allowed him to board. One report notes that he converted the sailors on the boat to Christianity.
His faith pushed him to study religion. He became a deacon around 418 A.D. At some point in his religious work, Maewyn became Patricius. A dream urged him to return to Ireland, which was a Pagan land.
The other version of St Patrick’s early life
His father was a tax collector. Maewyn became a teenager as the power of the Roman Empire in England decreased. He realized that becoming a tax collector for Rome would be hazardous. Maewyn fled to Ireland to avoid collecting taxes. In this version of his life, he did not experience slavery.
St Patrick: Kidnapped by Pirates and Enslaved at 16 | HISTORY
Converting Pagans
As a priest, Patrick’s knowledge of Irish culture and tradition served well in talking to Pagans in Ireland. He demonstrated the Holy Trinity using the Shamrock plant. The leaves of the plant form one piece. This is similar to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, connected as one.
(In more contemporary times, the Shamrock represented Irish resistance to British rule.)
The Pagans used fire to honor their gods. Patrick allowed them to use fire to celebrate Easter.
Some authors credit Patrick with creating the Celtic Cross. It is a variation of the Christian crucifix with a circle at the “center.” The circle represents the sun. This version of the cross appealed to the Pagans.
See the link below:
Celtic Cross Symbol: Meaning, History + Designs (theirishroadtrip.com)
Patrick claimed that he banished snakes from Ireland. This is a myth, as snakes have never naturally lived in Ireland. More likely, “snakes” refers to evil.
Patrick became a Bishop in 432. He converted thousands of Irish Pagans, including Kings, to Christianity. As a Bishop, he wrote the “confesso” or his autobiography. It is the primary source of information about his life. A few researchers speculate that he “embellished” some stories, including slavery.
Who Was St. Patrick? (history.com)
Cathedral Downpatrick
St Patrick’s Grave | Where is St Patrick buried | Down Cathedral Downpatrick (visitwarrenpoint.com)
Interestingly, St Patrick was never “sainted” by the Roman Catholic church. That doesn’t stop the Irish from honoring him! March 17 is traditionally a quiet holy day in Ireland. The 17th is in the middle of Lent-the faithful in the U.S. have their own spin on the day! It is the one day they can relax Lenten restrictions.
The other two Saints
Two other Irish saints share the grave. None of the three died in Downpatrick. Patrick died in nearby Saul. Saint Brigid died in Kildare, Ireland. Saint Columcille died in exile in Iona, Scotland.
Saint Columcille – Irish Biography (libraryireland.com)
Additional references
Shrines of the Three Saints – Illustrated History of Ireland (libraryireland.com)
Saint Patrick (385-461) – Find a Grave Memorial
About the author – Cultures and Graves
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