Post by GypsyMoon on Feb 13, 2011 12:37:55 GMT -5
I read an intresting article titled
Should Pagans Celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
By Sarra Barton..
The man called St. Patrick was believed to have been born about 400 years after the death of Jesus. St. Patrick was born in Britain, kidnapped at the age of 16, brought to Ireland, and sold as a slave. St. Patrick's
young life is basically agreed upon by all, but Christians and Pagans have very different
views about the priest called the Patron Saint of Ireland. To decide if pagans should celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you must understand both sides of the story.
The Christian Story of St. Patrick
Patrick's slave master, Milchu of Dalriada, was a Druidical High Priest. Patrick spent six years tending to Milchu's flock of sheep while learning the Celtic language, observing the pagan ways, and praying to the Christian God. Catholics believe Patrick was able to escape slavery with the help of an angel. Patrick returned to Britain, studied at two or more monasteries, was ordained a Catholic Priest, and then began his missionary work.
Christian Version.
Patrick's missionary work focused on converting the mostly pagan country of Ireland into a Christian country. Patrick's first reported "miracle" occurred when a protester to Patrick's attempts at conversion pulled out a sword to "smite" Patrick. St. Patrick gained control over the man's arm so he could not move his sword. Patrick did not free the man's arm until after the man agreed to be obedient to Patrick. During his travels, Patrick returned to the home of his former master. When Milchu, the Druid High Priest, saw Patrick and the other missionaries coming toward him, he was scared of the miraculous power of St. Patrick. In his frenzy of fear, Milchu ran into his wooden home and set the building ablaze. Patrick watched as his former boss died in the fire.
On Easter Sunday, March 26 433 AD, St. Patrick and other missionaries met on a hill in Tara to battle many Druid Priests. This epic battle began when Patrick miraculously started a fire with the help of his Christian
God. The Celtic pagans tried to extinguish the flame, but their "demonic powers" were much weaker than the Christian God's powers. Fearing defeat, the pagan Druid Priests created a dark cloud that overwhelmed the hill of Tara. St. Patrick was able use the Christian God's power to dispel the cloud. The Arch-Druid Lochru levitated himself high into the air and Patrick immediately fell to his knees to pray. St. Patrick's prayers caused the pagan to drop to the ground, hit a rock, and break into pieces. St. Patrick had won the battle and gained the right to deliver the Christian message to all pagans in Ireland without the interference of the Druid Priests.
Throughout his life, St. Patrick continued to convert pagans, establish churches in Ireland, and perform "miracles". It is unknown exactly when Priest Patrick was bestowed the honorary title of Saint, but it was sometime before the eight century. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, the alleged day of his death.
Pagan Version..
The story of anyone's life years after death, as being told by others, is a mix of truth, untruths, and lies, so pagans do not believe many of the stories of St. Patrick. Like Christians, pagans credit Patrick with having a large part in the end of paganism in Ireland. Pagan Celts had no form of written language, so traditions were passed down the generations by word-of-mouth. Using music and poetry, the Bards were the honored storytellers of Druid society. Many pagans believe St. Patrick did not just convert pagans with words and displays of "miracles" (which may have actually been pagan witchcraft), but that St. Patrick is also responsible for the deaths of many Druid Priests, Bards, and their followers. After St. Patrick converted or killed the Druids, the stories disappeared, causing paganism to be virtually erased from Ireland's history.
She ends the essay by this question.Today, St. Patrick's Day is mostly a celebration of Irish folklore and Irish beer, rather than the honoring of a Catholic Saint. Many pagans do observe the March 17th holiday. Some pagans celebrate out of spite; afterall, it is a celebration of St. Patrick's death. Other pagans choose to honor the Druid Celts by reliving the long-lost traditions of the Bards. Telling stories, playing music, and wearing early Celtic costumes are an excellent way to honor pre-Christian Ireland. Should pagans celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Every pagan must decide according to his or her own beliefs. Considering most of the Christian holidays were stolen from the Pagans, shouldn't pagans feel free to steal this Christian holiday?
I personally think if we start stealing Christian holidays or blotting them out of existance through making our holidays run the same day or creating untruths then we are no better then the one who came before us.
I say let them have there holiday of death to Pagans and let us who are pagans celebrate it in rememberance of those who sufferd and died before us. If Pagans were the snakes of Irland then what would that make those who killed us as animals?
Bottom line I believe people should not take a persons holiday away from them or "steal it" no matter what there celebrating.
We should learn from our past and the horrors of what those did before us and learn that those actions never comes our victorious for either sides involved.
I would love to hear all your opinions on this holiday.
Should Pagans Celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
By Sarra Barton..
The man called St. Patrick was believed to have been born about 400 years after the death of Jesus. St. Patrick was born in Britain, kidnapped at the age of 16, brought to Ireland, and sold as a slave. St. Patrick's
young life is basically agreed upon by all, but Christians and Pagans have very different
views about the priest called the Patron Saint of Ireland. To decide if pagans should celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you must understand both sides of the story.
The Christian Story of St. Patrick
Patrick's slave master, Milchu of Dalriada, was a Druidical High Priest. Patrick spent six years tending to Milchu's flock of sheep while learning the Celtic language, observing the pagan ways, and praying to the Christian God. Catholics believe Patrick was able to escape slavery with the help of an angel. Patrick returned to Britain, studied at two or more monasteries, was ordained a Catholic Priest, and then began his missionary work.
Christian Version.
Patrick's missionary work focused on converting the mostly pagan country of Ireland into a Christian country. Patrick's first reported "miracle" occurred when a protester to Patrick's attempts at conversion pulled out a sword to "smite" Patrick. St. Patrick gained control over the man's arm so he could not move his sword. Patrick did not free the man's arm until after the man agreed to be obedient to Patrick. During his travels, Patrick returned to the home of his former master. When Milchu, the Druid High Priest, saw Patrick and the other missionaries coming toward him, he was scared of the miraculous power of St. Patrick. In his frenzy of fear, Milchu ran into his wooden home and set the building ablaze. Patrick watched as his former boss died in the fire.
On Easter Sunday, March 26 433 AD, St. Patrick and other missionaries met on a hill in Tara to battle many Druid Priests. This epic battle began when Patrick miraculously started a fire with the help of his Christian
God. The Celtic pagans tried to extinguish the flame, but their "demonic powers" were much weaker than the Christian God's powers. Fearing defeat, the pagan Druid Priests created a dark cloud that overwhelmed the hill of Tara. St. Patrick was able use the Christian God's power to dispel the cloud. The Arch-Druid Lochru levitated himself high into the air and Patrick immediately fell to his knees to pray. St. Patrick's prayers caused the pagan to drop to the ground, hit a rock, and break into pieces. St. Patrick had won the battle and gained the right to deliver the Christian message to all pagans in Ireland without the interference of the Druid Priests.
Throughout his life, St. Patrick continued to convert pagans, establish churches in Ireland, and perform "miracles". It is unknown exactly when Priest Patrick was bestowed the honorary title of Saint, but it was sometime before the eight century. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, the alleged day of his death.
Pagan Version..
The story of anyone's life years after death, as being told by others, is a mix of truth, untruths, and lies, so pagans do not believe many of the stories of St. Patrick. Like Christians, pagans credit Patrick with having a large part in the end of paganism in Ireland. Pagan Celts had no form of written language, so traditions were passed down the generations by word-of-mouth. Using music and poetry, the Bards were the honored storytellers of Druid society. Many pagans believe St. Patrick did not just convert pagans with words and displays of "miracles" (which may have actually been pagan witchcraft), but that St. Patrick is also responsible for the deaths of many Druid Priests, Bards, and their followers. After St. Patrick converted or killed the Druids, the stories disappeared, causing paganism to be virtually erased from Ireland's history.
She ends the essay by this question.Today, St. Patrick's Day is mostly a celebration of Irish folklore and Irish beer, rather than the honoring of a Catholic Saint. Many pagans do observe the March 17th holiday. Some pagans celebrate out of spite; afterall, it is a celebration of St. Patrick's death. Other pagans choose to honor the Druid Celts by reliving the long-lost traditions of the Bards. Telling stories, playing music, and wearing early Celtic costumes are an excellent way to honor pre-Christian Ireland. Should pagans celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Every pagan must decide according to his or her own beliefs. Considering most of the Christian holidays were stolen from the Pagans, shouldn't pagans feel free to steal this Christian holiday?
I personally think if we start stealing Christian holidays or blotting them out of existance through making our holidays run the same day or creating untruths then we are no better then the one who came before us.
I say let them have there holiday of death to Pagans and let us who are pagans celebrate it in rememberance of those who sufferd and died before us. If Pagans were the snakes of Irland then what would that make those who killed us as animals?
Bottom line I believe people should not take a persons holiday away from them or "steal it" no matter what there celebrating.
We should learn from our past and the horrors of what those did before us and learn that those actions never comes our victorious for either sides involved.
I would love to hear all your opinions on this holiday.
