Happy St. Patrick's Day... a little history about "Maewyn Succat!"

As we all prepare to don our green clothes and honor Ireland's Patron Saint, St. Patrick, on March 17, it's worth noting that his name was Maewyn Succat and he was born in Scotland... or was it Wales.

We all think we know the true story of St. Patrick, the most famous patron saint in the world, but it turns out we don't even know his real name.

Meet Maewyn Succat, the son of a Roman-British officer and deacon who was born in the village of Banna Vemta Burniae. 

The man we know as Saint Patrick, aka Maewyn Succat, was born in the second half of the 4th century, so it is little wonder that the details of his life are a little sketchy, to say the least. So much so that even the year of his birth is up for debate, some scholars believing it was the year 373 and some 390. 

Maewyn Succat

So the story goes that Maewyn Succat was born near a village called Banna Vemta Burniae, which was situated on the Roman road of Watling Street, which today is known as the A5 trunk road. However, yet again where, on this vast road, it is not clear. Some believe Maewyn Succat was born in the lowlands of Scotland and others say it was Wales, which was under Roman control at that time. 

His father, Calpornius, was a Roman-British army officer and a deacon. Despite his father's involvement in the church, Maewyn Succat did not, at first, follow suit. He was not a believer. In fact, until the age of 16, his life was unexceptional. 

The kidnapping

The tale goes that St. Patrick was kidnapped while he worked as a shepherd. He was taken by Irish pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. In his autobiography, Confessio, for the next six years he was kept in prison, in the north of the island of Ireland. Here he worked as a herdsman tending to sheep and pigs, on Mount Slemish, in County Antrim. 

It was during this time that Maewyn Succat found religion. He believed that his kidnapping and enslavement were punishment for his lack of belief.

He spent a great deal of time in prayer. Eventually, he had a vision that saw him on as a stowaway on a boat back to Britain. He soon escaped and was reunited with his family. 

God's calling

Back in Britain and safe from his captors Maewyn Succat had a vision that the people of Ireland were calling him back to minister to them about God. However, he did not feel prepared. 

Maewyn Succat traveled to France where he trained in a monastery, possibly under Saint Germain, the Bishop of Auxerre. He dedicated his life to learning. 

Twelve years later he returned to Irish shores as a Bishop, sent with the Pope's blessing.

Spreading the word of Christ in Ireland

Maewyn Succat, or Saint Patrick, as came to be known, from the Latin name Patricius, which meant "nobleman", landed at Strangford Loch, County Down.

While many credit him with bringing Christianity to Ireland he was not the first to do so. And earlier missionary, Palladius, had already come to preach to the Irish. 

However, St. Patrick did meet with King Lóegaire, the High King of Ireland to ask permission to preach Christianity. Of course, his mission did not always go smoothly. During his life and attempts of preaching, he had terms of imprisonment and generally upset local chieftains and druids but he always won his freedom, by presenting his captors with gifts.  

One of his lasting contributions is "Saint Patrick's Breastplate" - a Christian hymn whose original old Irish lyrics were traditionally attributed to Saint Patrick and his Irish ministry in the 5th century. The prayer has come down through the centuries and remains popular today. Given the current reality of the Coronavirus pandemic it's more relevant than ever. 

Protection on a journey

It is written in the style of a druidic incantation for protection on a journey. It is part of the Liber Hymnorum, a collection of hymns found in two manuscripts kept in Dublin.

The words were translated into English verse by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1889 and set to two traditional Irish tunes, "St. Patrick" and "Deirdre" the hymn, also known by its opening line "I bind unto myself today", is currently included in the Lutheran Service Book [Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod], English Hymnal, the Irish Church Hymnal and The Hymnal (1982) of the U.S. Episcopal Church.

Unique among hymns

It is often sung during the celebration of the Feast of Saint Patrick on or near March 17, as well as on Trinity Sunday. In many churches, it is unique among standard hymns because the variations in length and meter of verses mean that at least three different tunes must be used – different in the melody sung by the congregation.

The prayer is known as "Faeth Fiada" or the "Lorica of St. Patrick" (St. Patrick's Breast-Plate) was first edited by Petrie in his "History of Tara."

Here are the beautiful words of the prayer:

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.

I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,

Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of cherubim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

In the prayers of patriarchs,

In the predictions of prophets,

In the preaching of apostles,

In the faith of confessors,

In the innocence of holy virgins,

In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through

The strength of heaven,

The light of the sun,

The radiance of the moon,

The splendor of fire,

The speed of lightning,

The swiftness of wind,

The depth of the sea,

The stability of the earth,

The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through

God's strength to pilot me,

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me

From snares of devils,

From temptation of vices,

From everyone who shall wish me ill,

afar and near.

I summon today

All these powers between me and those evils,

Against every cruel and merciless power

that may oppose my body and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;

Christ to shield me today

Against poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

Christ with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right,

Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.

For 20 years St. Patrick traveled around Ireland baptizing people and establishing monasteries, schools, and churches. By the time of his death, believed to be on March 17, 461 (or 493, depending on which scholars you side with), he had left an organized Christian church in Ireland as his legacy.

And so every March 17 this is why Ireland, the Irish around the world and those who love the Irish spirit celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Happy Maewyn Succat Day! Slainte' (Health) and Semper Fi!

Sources: Irish Tourist Board, Brittanica.com, History.com

About the author - Paul McBride is a former Marine, and RVP at ZeOmega Population Health Management Software and the Founder and President of American Military Society Press. You can contact him at [email protected]

NB: This article originally appeared on the AMSP1775 website on March 17th, 2018