St. Patrick

• Feast Day: March 17th
• Patron of: Engineers, Ireland & Nigeria
• Britain, Ireland 385 - 461

Ironically, the patron saint of Ireland wasn’t Irish at all! Patrick was enjoying an entitled life as the son of ruling-class Romans in Britain before being introduced to Ireland. It wasn’t a friendly introduction: he arrived there as a kidnap victim of pirates. Spending one’s teenage years enslaved as a sheepherder in a desolate land sounds awfully bleak and lonely. Not for Patrick! He was too busy talking to God to be lonely: “In a single day I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night nearly the same,” Patrick wrote.

After six years Patrick acted on a dream in which God encouraged him to flee, and hitched a ride home with sailors. But another dream soon had him on the move again, this time headed for the priesthood. In this dream Patrick heard the voices of the pagan Irish people he’d learned to love begging him to return to their country and preach Christianity. It was Bishop Patrick who returned to Ireland to spread the Good News and help the people overcome slavery, intertribal warfare, and the human sacrifice of the Druids.

With its warm rich details and parchment-like background our Saint Patrick Prayer Pillowcase shares a precious, old-world feel. We created this intriguing portrayal of Saint Patrick as both a shepherd lad and a bishop as a reminder that no matter who we are or what we do, we have the choice to embrace God’s will. The Lorica of Saint Patrick - a strong and lovely affirmation of faith for all ages - energizes our spirits while reminding us to seek God’s hand in our everyday life.  What a great way to start the day!