He is the iconic patron saint of Ireland, the bringer of faith, the banisher of snakes and for many Ulster Loyalists he was the first Protestant settler on the Paddy’s green shamrock shore.
So on Saturday night in Armagh, the Protestants will parade for Patrick and the ‘Papists’ will protest.
How times have changed.
Today, Protestants in Northern Ireland are more insistent that they have a right to claim Patrick too as the founder of their Christian faith in Ireland. Indeed, some argue that his British origins and the fact that the Celtic Christian church structure he founded in Ireland stayed beyond the control of Rome for centuries, put him down as a staunch Protestant even before the Reformation.
They also point out that since the first New York parade involved Irish-born Redcoats in the colonial British Army, they have a proprietorial stake on its origins too.
St Patrick is believed to have come from Britain, first as a captive slave herding pigs and sheep at Slemish near the north coast, then as a Christian missionary to calm the savage pagan breast of his mortal flock.
He landed near Saul in Co. Down, not far from modern day Belfast, and began to convert the people. He founded his ecclesiastical centre in what is now Armagh City, near the ancient centre of power in Ulster, where the most Protestant cathedral now stands and he is laid to rest in the grounds of the Protestant cathedral in Downpatrick, also in Co. Down.
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Read more:
New Yorkers drinking more Guinness than ever and not just for St. Patrick’s Day
The curse of Cromwell upon you - Ireland’s history spelt out in insults
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Indeed, Patrick is believed to have concentrated his entire mission in the northern part of Ireland with only brief forays into the west for the rigours of the ‘Reek’ on Croagh Patrick.
Yet for many decades, particularly during the conflict in Northern Ireland, St Patrick and celebrations in his honour, were regarded as the cultural preserve of Irish Catholics and their diaspora, particularly in America.
The celebratory parades which have become such a huge feature of St Patrick’s Day in modern Ireland really only date from the 1970s and they are modelled on the New York event that started even more modestly away back in 1762. Even 40 years ago, March 17 was observed in Catholic Ireland as a Holy Day of obligation with Mass attendance and celebrations afterwards were more modest and cultural affairs.
Since the change to razzmatazz, Protestant participation in the new St Patrick’s Day was rare, particularly in the North where their big public celebrations were saved for July at the peak of the marching season.
Even in towns with organised parades, the moving force was often the local chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and it was regarded as a partisan event with lots of Irish national flags and fervour.
So while the Queen of England presented her bowl of shamrocks in London to the Irish Guards regiment of the British Army and church-going Protestants often marked the day in religious services, there was little interest or motive for secular Protestants to get involved in the public parades or revelry.
But all that has changed. Meanwhile, the appeal of St Patrick’s has gone beyond partisan into the realm of good public relations with every community on the island of Ireland staking its claim to a part of the celebrations. Ulster Protestants have also latched on to the international commercial appeal of the patron saint and they want a part of that too.
So since the peace process took hold, parade organisers in Northern Ireland have gone to great lengths to remove what would be regarded as divisive political symbols from their events in order to create a more ‘welcoming’ atmosphere for Protestants to participate. Yet while there is green in abundance, there are also tricolours by the truckload at most venues. So many Protestants stay away.
In many Protestant communities, however, they have conducted their own cultural celebrations in their own time-honoured ways and often outside the glare of publicity which focuses on the more recognisable celebrations dominated by those from the Catholic National community. The local Protestant events include a traditional drumming contest in Lurgan and a couple of big marching band parades in the north coast town of Coleraine and in the small village of Killylea, Co. Armagh, near the Border.
These band parades form the recognised curtain raisers for the annual season for the tens of thousands of Protestants involved in Loyalist marching bands. Each band hosts its own parade, inviting in others for a big annual fund-raiser to keep them going. The season, which runs to mid-October, usually features several such band parades I different towns and villages each Friday and Saturday evening.
The Killylea village parade, only seven miles outside Armagh City, now comprises about 40 marching bands and it has already been regarded as the main Ulster Protestant celebration of St Patrick. This year, the venue has shifted into the local small city because it is the seat of St Patrick and can better accommodate the event.
The Parades Commission, an independent statutory agency, has given the go-ahead but nationalist/Republican politicians – particularly local Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy – are incensed at what they see as a provocative intrusion on the celebrations. A meeting between the sides failed to resolve the difference.
Afterwards, a spokesman for the band said that the event will be ‘enjoyable and trouble free’ for all who wish to attend: ‘St Patrick is the patron saint of all of Ireland and all of its people. We fully respect the rights of others to celebrate according to their own traditions, and in turn would ask that they respect ours.’
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.IrishRyan | Mar 09, 2013, 12:37 PM EST
Its shocking how loyalists are trying to hijack St Patrick. St Patrick certainly wasnt protestant since protestantism didnt exist until another 1000 years or so. St Patrick was of Gaelic/Roman Christian tradition, he was a follower of "King Billy on the Wall" which most of these loyalists from the 6 counties are.
IrelandNorth | Apr 13, 2012, 07:57 AM EDT
The essential distinction in Christianity is not Protestantism vs. Roman Catholicism after Luther's schism. Or for that matter between eastern and western orthodoxies. But between the Orthodoxy of the institutional churches and esoteric Christianity of heterodoxists. Since the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church converted to Constantianism, and Patricius was an emissary of Constantinian Christianity, he hardly did the native Iriah any favours by coming here. Now ya know why the Irish wear silly hats and betray their temperance commitment in or anround the pagan/Druidic Vernal/Spring Equinox.
warlocks | Mar 23, 2012, 12:20 AM EDT
Guess what ? St.Patrick was Roman. His Father was a Centorian in A Roman Cohort that was in Scotland at the time Patrick was captured and taken hostage. who knows if this story is true ? so much BS has been written and suppressed by the early church. nothing has changed through the years. the Church still covers things if we Catholics really knew the whole Story thats hidden by the Vatican .We would Tar & Feather the whole Lot of the unholy Fakers
badolan | Mar 20, 2012, 05:37 PM EDT
Golly, I thought Pat was a Jew from Sweden. Isn't he the fella that baptized the sweet baby Jesus in Dublin? Now, we could use a nice article on the Ester Bunny. You know, the one from Cork.
citizen69 | Mar 18, 2012, 01:45 PM EDT
Buffalobrave: Yes, the bigotry still exists to a degree on BOTH sides. It's true that young people in a mixed marriage may not feel safe to live in an area that is mostly Protestant or mostly Catholic but there are many neutral areas also.
solasbeire | Mar 18, 2012, 11:33 AM EDT
Well, I've read that he kept Kosher, so maybe he was really the first Irish Jew? ;-)
Buffalobrave | Mar 18, 2012, 10:15 AM EDT
citizen69: I am referring to one particular case. Loyalist/Unionism are very paranoid when it comes to the Catholic church and by extension nationalists. They may get 'on well' as you put it, but don't get to cosy. Many young people from that part of the world who have 'mixed' marriages find to safer to emigrate to another country. Bigotry still exists.
malachy49 | Mar 18, 2012, 05:49 AM EDT
Regarding being Protestant - I take Irish writer Brendan Behan's comment on this "The Protestant religion was born out of the bollocks of Henry the eighth."
Scrivner | Mar 17, 2012, 11:51 PM EDT
Of course St Patrick is also for the Protestants, that's why he is often represented with an orange halo.
PiperMac52 | Mar 17, 2012, 07:58 PM EDT
atrick was born in 385 western Great Britain into a high-ranking Roman Christian family; he died in Ireland in 461, though some accounts put his death later. His grandfather was a priest and his father--Calpurnius--was a deacon, as well as prosperous nobleman and local Roman official. Patrick’s native language was Latin. His birth name was, reportedly, Maewyn, and the Latin name Patercius (Gaelicized to "Patrick" by the Irish) was given to him by Pope Celestine just before his mission to Ireland, as a token of the fruitfulness of his future mission, which would make him the pater civium (father of the people) of the Irish race. He writes that as youths he and his companions "turned away from God, and did not keep his commandments, and did not obey our priests, who used to remind us of our salvation" (Conf. 1). But when he was sixteen he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery, where he served as a shepherd. This revolutionized his life; his faith and zeal for God were ignited, and he spent much time praying and fasting. After six years, he escaped, being led by private revelations along a safe route back to Britain. Afterwards, he was commissioned in another private revelation to serve as a missionary to Ireland. To prepare, he traveled to France and spent around two decades as a monk—studying, praying, and practicing penance. He was ordained to the priesthood, and in 432 was sent to Ireland to serve St. Palladius, who had been consecrated bishop and sent to Ireland by Pope Celestine. When Palladius died on a trip to Britain, Patrick was chosen as his successor and was consecrated bishop by St. Germanus, the papal representative overseeing the Irish mission. Patrick experienced enormous success in converting the Irish, and three assistant bishops from France were sent to help him, among them St. Sechnall (aka Secundinus). Within his generation the Irish had been transformed by God’s grace into a Christian (and Catholic) people.
PiperMac52 | Mar 17, 2012, 07:50 PM EDT
The two writings from his pen that survive—his Confession and Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus—are both in Latin, and both attest to his Catholic faith. The Letter—which Patrick wrote in a blazing fury after some of his newly baptized converts had been slaughtered during a raid by a British ruler—records his belief in the episcopacy, the ministerial priesthood, confirmation, the value of monks and nuns, purgatory, priestly absolution, and "doing hard penance" (the last two, he said the murdering soldiers needed). His later Confession has a mild tone (not being a response to a massacre) and mentions many of the same Catholic distinctives, as well as fasting, loss of salvation, and Patrick’s many private revelations. Another important source is a Latin hymn written in praise of him by his assistant bishop Sechnall, who records many of Patrick’s beliefs, among them the sacrifice of the Mass, merits, the fact the Church is built on Peter, and baptismal regeneration...From a history of St. Patrick by James Atkins
DanOLoingsigh | Mar 17, 2012, 07:15 PM EDT
Council or Synod of Whitby was 7th century...settled the date of Easter to the Roman tradition...
seanomelb | Mar 17, 2012, 06:11 PM EDT
Differences existed between the "Celtic church and the Catholic church up to the 11th century.Easter was celebrated in the "Celtic Church' using the eastern rites calendar,this and other issues were solved by the "council of Whitby in the 11th century. So it is fair to say that form of "eastern" Christianity was practiced in Ireland and Britain.
Gearoid4 | Mar 17, 2012, 02:58 PM EDT
@AlunPalmer, The concept of a "Celtic Church" originated after the reformation, as some protestant divines sought to depict their church as the continuation of this mythical, elusive early Irish form of Christianity. The ancient Irish Christians would be bemused at this, as they would not even have considered themselves "Celtic". The latest studies of the ethnic origins of the Irish population, suggests that they mostly descend from a band of people who emigrated to Ireland from Iberia some 5000-6000 years ago. St Patrick was a member of the Church universal and thus can be described as a Catholic missionary, who brought the Good News of the Gospels to Irish shores. There was no deep denominational fissures at this time, unlike what happened across Europe some 1000 years later. Overall St Patrick can be claimed by all Christians in Ireland, who should all celebrate his legacy with pride and gusto.
OldMariner | Mar 17, 2012, 02:34 PM EDT
You've got to wonder how many of these people actually believe this. There are also some Orthodox/Byzantine Catholics who proclaim that Patrick was an eastern Christian, and, in fact, that the ancient Irish church was more eastern in liturgical and philosophical practice than of the Roman church. The latter point I'm skeptical and the former one I completely dismiss. Actually this point, Pat is a prod, doesn't even rate a discussion.
mcdolan | Mar 17, 2012, 10:36 AM EDT
Obviously Patrick wasn't 'protestant' since that happened 1000 years later in Henry VIII's time. Nor was he a 'catholic' which is a word meaning 'universal' or wholly-encompassing -- he was a Romanised Christian as Christianity was the Roman Empire's state religion. Whether he came to Ireland as a slave or a tax collector is irrelevant. When he arrived there was already a small number of Christians here (probably Copts from Egypt whose lifestyle was living as hermits) and Patrick was able to capitalise on that familiarity among the native Irish inhabitants. Indeed, Patrick lived a hermetic lifestyle himself, and it was only when he tried to convert others that he ran into trouble with the locals. In any event, the simplicity of Patrick, his oneness with nature, and his love of God, are the essence of all Christianity, so let everyone claim him and perhaps we can return to the more simple practice of worship.
mcdolan | Mar 17, 2012, 09:31 AM EDT
St Patricks day is not celebrated as a holy in Ireland. We get a day off school and work, we go out and have a good time. Some of us have been out since Thursday night! Religion is not important today, its a festival of culture. The parades theme in Dublin today is Science as Dublin is the science capital of Europe 2012. Religion hasnt come into it at all.
citizen69 | Mar 17, 2012, 06:42 AM EDT
@Buffalobrave: Actually many Protestant & Catholic clergy get on extremely well in Northern Ireland without any problems or threats from anyone whatsoever.
citizen69 | Mar 17, 2012, 06:39 AM EDT
The debate isn't really about Patrick being a Protestant or not, obviously he wasn't a Protestant as defined by the much later reformation, although he was a bit of a dissenter. One thing is for sure, he didn't wear all the trappings of the catholic church that we see in depictions of St. Patrick, i.e. the bishops mitre & robes. These clothes are of medieval origin. The debate is really about the relationship between Protestants & St. Patrick. Although most Protestant denominations don't venerate saints, it is clear Irish protestants have always celebrated St. Patrick and his day. As i said before, the major St. Patrick's Day celebrations in America were started by Irish Protestants.
Buffalobrave | Mar 17, 2012, 06:17 AM EDT
Doyathink: Well believe it or not what you have suggested has been tried. A few years ago a Protestant Pastor crossed the road to wish the local Catholic priest "A Merry Christmas" in a town in Northern Ireland. Guess what? The Protestant pastor was threatened by Loyalist thugs with his life for daring to wish well to a Catholic priest. Ulster Unionists politicians berated the poor paster as well. He now lives in the Republic of Ireland far away from the bigots!
DanOLoingsigh | Mar 17, 2012, 05:34 AM EDT
pilib04 your mention of Durham Cathedral reminds me of a true story, when a bunch of feisty seniors from The Catholic Womens Guild went on an organised tour of it...at the end, the guide, a dean or something like, recounted the cost of maintaining the ancient building..so much for heat, so much for light,etc.etc., as his 'pitch' to get the group to make donations...one of the old ladies was heard to say 'I don't know what your complaining about, you got the b****er for nowt!'
PiperMac52 | Mar 17, 2012, 04:02 AM EDT
Ireland of the 5th century was pagan. Read the life of St. Patrick and he describes nothing that would resemble Christianity. Druids inhabited the land.
AlunPalmer | Mar 17, 2012, 02:16 AM EDT
I already knew that St. Patrick wasn't a Catholic, but that doesn't make him a Protestant either. The Celtic Church was later absorbed into the Catholic Church, just a short while after they introduced celibacy for priests. Protestants are members of churches that broke away from Catholicism, but the Celtic Church did the opposite. Mind you, Sinead O'Connor considers herself to be a (non-celibate) nun in the Celtic Church, but she's slightly barmy.
PiperMac52 | Mar 17, 2012, 02:15 AM EDT
By the way, do the research, St. Patrick after being ordained was sent to Ireland with instructions from the Pope and his blessing.
PiperMac52 | Mar 17, 2012, 02:14 AM EDT
I have heard this argument from a friend who left the Catholic faith for a fundamentalist "born again" church.Apparently this is the propaganda being used to recruit Irish into the fold. Anyone who has a smattering of knowledge regarding the history of Christianity knows that for over 1000(1058 and the schism of the Orthodox from Roman catholicism)there existed only one Christian faith, Catholicism. The reformation(and subsequent protestant denominations)did not come about until 1500 years after Christ established his one, universal church.
pilib04 | Mar 16, 2012, 11:59 PM EDT
Yeah, I've heard this and several other arguments like it before. My favorite was the day we were able to visit Durham Cathedral in Durham, England. Imaging our surprise when we approached the Cathedral and found a sign in front proclaiming the Cathedral to have been built by the Church of England in the 11th and 12th centuries. There was no COI at that time!
MegK311 | Mar 16, 2012, 10:31 PM EDT
I am from Northern Ireland and I prefer to think of St. Patrick as a Christian who brought Christianity to Ireland. I doubt he would think of himself as either Protestant or Roman Catholic. After all we all profess to be Christians so please let us not argue over St. Patrick.
sharoneileen | Mar 16, 2012, 10:00 PM EDT
Oh, for _____'s sake. The last time we took the kids to the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Scranton PA it all became clear to me; as the officer approached the outwardly drunken youth "Oh, lighten up it's Saint Patty's Day!". I realized that a feast day that we observed when I was a child had turned into an excuse to drink! What could I say, I told the kids that this is not the way we celebrate and that St. Patrick is very important to all of Irish descent. We celebrate with a nice dinner and family appreciation. I am much more concerned that St. Patrick is remembered as an excuse to get wasted than some other religion adopt our Saint. Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you all!
EditorCT | Mar 16, 2012, 08:49 PM EDT
The Pope (Celestine I) who sent St Patrick as a missionary to Ireland, must be having a quiet smile at the very idea of Protestant marching to celebrate the Feast of such a great Catholic saint. Happy St Patrick's Day from Scotland!
brianmack | Mar 16, 2012, 07:23 PM EDT
Let's enjoy the day and celebrate this great non-English, non-Irish icon. What's really great is the fact that so many of today's youth, on both sides of the aisle could care less what religion St. Patrick was. Sadly, the less time in church and the more time with our fellow man seems to be much more spiritual.
RedBranch | Mar 16, 2012, 06:36 PM EDT
'There'll be a hot time in the town tonight!' Is my guess about Armagh. The parade is scheduled to start at 7pm and be over by 10. Now by 7pm many will have a 'day' under their belts, the Ireland England rugby game will just be over, so the stage is set. I'm sure everybody's favourite whipping boy, the PSNI will be on hand to 'take it on the chin'.
SyndiHolmes | Mar 16, 2012, 06:10 PM EDT
Christian yes, and at that time it was the Catholic church. He was educated as a priest by the Church. You can revise facts but it does not change the truth. It is simply another way to marginalise Catholics.
doyathink | Mar 16, 2012, 05:49 PM EDT
If embracing St. Patrick as a Protestant helps Loyalist leaders have something in common with Irish Catholics, I say go for it. For a next step, maybe the pastors of local Protestant churches and the priests at local Catholic churches could, say, play golf together on Mondays. They might find out their similarities are many and their differences very few. Getting past the past has to start somewhere. If one of the "somewhere"s is sharing ownership of Ireland's patron saint, I think St. Patrick would be pleased.
seanomelb | Mar 16, 2012, 05:46 PM EDT
Patrick was neither Catholic or Protestant he was "Christian". He was never formally canonised by Rome nor was he the first Christian missionary to visit Ireland (Palladius).It is interesting to add that there was no such place as Northern Ireland at that time( as some people need reminding) Patrick preached all over Ireland and can be claimed by any Christian sect "as theirs".
wjmcgi1 | Mar 16, 2012, 05:22 PM EDT
In St. Patrick's own hand he implies that his ecclesiastical superiors came to Ireland and censured him publically. Remember Rome also ruled Britain at that time. Patrick detested ecclesiastical politics, for they interferred with his single minded aim, the conversion of the Irish, whom he had come to love during his captivity. His difficulties with the Church leadership is what the Protestants are referring to. As for Scotch-Irish, it is an American term. One never used in Ireland. It is how most of the early settlers on the frontier called themselves.
Gearoid4 | Mar 16, 2012, 05:19 PM EDT
The totality of Ireland is not the "Republic of Ireland". Ireland is comprised of 32 counties, as any decent atlas will tell you. The island is divided into two jurisdictions i.e "Republic of Ireland" and "Northern Ireland". The latter was a blatant gerrymander which was drawn up purely along sectarian lines and whose border ridiculously bisects villages, farmlands and natural hinterlands. Ireland is thus not "independent" and only that portion of the country which is now called the "Republic of Ireland" is free of foreign rule.
Stiofain | Mar 16, 2012, 04:54 PM EDT
Many of the founders of the Christian faith were Jewish...who knows...but?
Gearoid4 | Mar 16, 2012, 04:30 PM EDT
Patrick was a 5th century bishop missionary who spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to Ireland on behalf of the Church universal. He was part of an undivided Church and the divisions of the Reformation period would have been an anathema to him. Thus he was in communion with both Rome(the premier See) and the other major apostolic centres of Christianity in the known world. With over a thousand years between St Patrick and the first stirrings of the Reformation, as SeamusMor stated, it is disingenuous of the orange order to superimpose the "protestant" label onto the Saint. I still think that all that ultimately St Patrick's legacy would be best celebrated if each of the Christian Faith groups in Ireland stressed the shared aspects of it which united them, while celebrating it in their own diverse ways.
pmulvihill | Mar 16, 2012, 04:17 PM EDT
Wouldn't it be humorus if St.Patrick was actually Italian? Since he and his family were from Roman ruled Britain and he spoke Latin.
SeamusMor | Mar 16, 2012, 03:59 PM EDT
Patrick brought the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church to Ireland as a Bishop on the direct orders of the Pope. The first Protestant wasn't even born until 1000 years after St. Patrick was laid to rest!
joan1954 | Mar 16, 2012, 03:57 PM EDT
How do they figure that one? Patrick is the symbol of a peace that should exist for all and that embraces north and south.
blackbearpause | Mar 16, 2012, 03:36 PM EDT
it is nice to see both North and South embrace St.Patrick. You dont have to be Irish or even Catholic to do great deeds, or become a Saint.
coyle1888 | Mar 16, 2012, 03:03 PM EDT
they could call it,.. St.Proddys day! hahaha, nice try lads, its our party and your not invited, dont worry though, you have the 'twelth' where you get to walk 10miles with your grandad listening to drums and eating ice cream.. ahahahah
merefalow | Mar 16, 2012, 02:40 PM EDT
he didn't drive all the snakes out out of Ireland.
Monique | Mar 16, 2012, 01:27 PM EDT
He was saint before the Great Schism between East and West...so he's a saint to the Orthodox, RC, Protestant...it matters not and no one group can/should lay claim to this marvelous man. Oh...and Happy Saint's Day to my son, Tristan Patrick Eppler!! :)
wgman062 | Mar 16, 2012, 01:23 PM EDT
I don't think any Irish Catholic would want to stop any Protestant from celebrating the life of St. Patrick to their heart's content. Trying to claim that he actually was a Protestant himself centuries before the Reformation is a bit silly though.
Eljachin | Mar 16, 2012, 01:18 PM EDT
We (Restorationist)claim him too! He was pre-Protestant AND pre-Catholic. We don't believe the RC church as it is today had really coalesced yet till after St. Patrick. His church was closer to the NT church than to either the Roman, Eastern, or Reformation churches. We say this not to ad more division but to encourage the unification of the Irish church on NT teaching and not on tradition or protesting elements of denominationlism.
Bangor46 | Mar 16, 2012, 12:58 PM EDT
There was no such thing as Protestantism until the Reformation -- thanks to Martin Luther! And wouldn't it be nice if the good folks in the North would let go. You celebrate your way and we'll do it our way!
citizen69 | Mar 16, 2012, 12:53 PM EDT
@EphraimKibbey: Thankfully there are St. Patrick's day parades in the north that are attended by both traditions, especially Belfast and Downpatrick, the home of St. Patrick. @Seanmor: Yes you are correct, the early Presbyterian Irish in America rarely referred to themselves as Scotch-Irish until later. Of course they knew they were of Scottish origin & had a different culture but they saw themselves as Irish. In America they were free to define their Irishness as they saw it whereas later after the huge influx of emigrants of the famine era the term Irish became synonymous with Gaelic & Catholic. But I mention their origins here because the author of this article seems to think Protestants didn't get involved with parades until just lately.
Seanmor | Mar 16, 2012, 12:43 PM EDT
hermit: The cathedral in Downpatrick belongs to the Church of Ireland, the only denomination that takes its name from the country. Yes, this Downpatrick church was for centuries was a Catholic house of worship, as was the older cathedrel in Armagh. The "island" you mention is Ireland and has been known by that name for almost 2,ooo years. But the Free State crowd hijacked the name of my homeland and apply it exclusively to the part of the country they misgovern. Here on my desk is is an orange sheet of paper issued by the County Grand Lodge of Down in July, 1973. The heading on this document is "The Orange Instution of Ireland", and by "Ireland" the Orangemen mean the whole country. They don't call it the island, at least not in this document. A few years ago, I visited the grounds of Downpatrick Cathedral, accompanied by my wife who is a Methodist with connections to the North of Ireland. She led me to what is believed to be the resting place of Saints Patrick, Bridget and Colum Cille. Tomarrow my wife and I celebrate the 17th by attending a corned beef dinner prepared by members of an Anglican church in the Western Catskills. The patriot saint of Ireland is celebrated by many faiths in various lands.
EphraimKibbey | Mar 16, 2012, 12:04 PM EDT
Dare we hope that some day both groups will march hand-in-hand together in the same parade in honor of Saint Patrick. Sadly, hatred seems to be a disease passed on from generation to generation. In America, we have people who are still fighting the Civil War for their great grand fathers.
hermitTalker | Mar 16, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT
St Patrick is buried in the Protestant Church of Ireland Cathedral because they stole it at the Reformation as they did in all over the island and in Britain and the Germanic crowd did all over Northern Europe. Patrick came as a missionary sent by the bishops of France. The Eastern influence that made itsway from the persecutions made their way to ireland and the Celtic traditions gave some characteristics to Catholicism in IRELAND but they were not core, essential dissident. Just as the Maronite in Lebanon and the Chaldean Church in Iraq and others have today with their own languages and ritual but are ROMAN Catholic in their loyalty. Those Loyalists are as ignorant about the Church's origin and history as they are about the meaning of the Gospel and Jesus' badge of Love as the sign of discipleship. This just proves it- anything to stir trouble to prove their real motives and real bias.
hermitTalker | Mar 16, 2012, 10:40 AM EDT
I share the sentiments of citizen69 and ciaradexy. St. Patrick was a Christian missionary and for both traditions, a uniting influence.
Seanmor | Mar 16, 2012, 10:32 AM EDT
What ever form of Christianity Patrick brought to Ireland, no one called Protestantism. It is doubtful that Protestant organizers of the St. Patrick's Day parades in the i760s were known as Scots-Irish. The term doesn't seen to have been widely used prior to the arrival of the Famine immigrats in the late 1840s.Eventually any Irish Protestant could be known as Scots-Irish Such ws the case with the Clare native who was the father og PA Governor Andrew G. Curtin in the early 1860s. The governor' father is sometimes describes as Scots-Irish, even though he had no connection with Scotland or the North of Ireland.
citizen69 | Mar 16, 2012, 08:42 AM EDT
I don't believe there should be an alternative loyalist parade on the same day/night, it will only lead to confrontation.... But as for Protestants and St. Patrick, they have always marked the day. The first St. Patrick's day parade in America was in Boston in 1737. Organized by the Charitable Irish Society, which at that time was exclusively Scots-Irish Presbyterians. Also the Early Parades in New York were officially organized by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, a society that was overwhelmingly Protestant & Scot-Irish at the time. These parades my be seen as wholly Catholic now but they were started by Protestants. Even John Marshall, the guy cited as the first New Yorker to celebrate the saint in 1762 was an Irish Protestant. Irish regiments in the British Army still celebrate St. Paddy's day with the receiving of Shamrock ceremony. Even many Orange Lodges mark & honour the day. And as is pointed out in the article St. Patrick's grave stone lies within the grounds of a Protestant church, and there is a small Anglican church on the very site where Patrick built his first house of Christian worship in Saul. St. Patrick is for all in Ireland and only wish they would all celebrate him together!
ciaradexy | Mar 16, 2012, 07:16 AM EDT
St Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland NIT catholicism so whats the big deal either way?