St. Patrick and the Relaunch of Western Civilization

by Linda Wade

A Celtic Cross among Ireland’s 40 shades of green.

As we prepare to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this Sunday, March 17th, a few reminders not only about this patron saint of Ireland, but about his impact on saving Western Civilization from the Barbaric (literally) ravages of mainland Europe, pre-Medieval period. St. Patrick not only brought Christianity to Ireland, but set the stage for literacy and learning

Let's start with a brief history of the saint himself.  Patrick was born in the 4th c. A.D. into a family of nobility in Somerset, Britain during a time of great uncertainty for the Roman Empire. Roman Legions protecting civilized Britain from barbaric invaders were called away to defend other regions of the vast Roman Empire. Britain was then left vulnerable to attacks.

Just before his 16th birthday, Patrick, on holiday in Cornwall, was kidnapped by Irish pirates from the nearby beach. Patrick was soon sold as a slave to a Druid tribal chieftain, and promptly made to shepherd his flocks. Like most teens, up until his capture, Patrick’s training in the traditions of the Christian faith largely remained dormant and superficial. All that changed, however, as he was no longer living a comfortable life within his family domain.

In his Confessions, Patrick wrote, "...[as I tended the flocks]...I would pray all the time, day after day, and as I did so...more and more [in all weather] I would notice no discomfort, and I was never slack, but always full of energy. It was clear to me now that this was due to ... the Spirit within me."

Six years after his capture, at age 22, in a dream, Patrick was told that he would be given an opportunity to escape by sea back to his homeland. When indeed this chance did arise, Patrick readily and willingly obliged. It took him a full two years to finally arrive back to his home and to the joyful embrace of his parents. As he began to settle back into life in Britain, he began his studies for the priesthood, becoming not only a priest, but a Bishop. However, another dream beckoned Patrick to return to Ireland. The rest is familiar – how Holy St. Patrick began his ministry which led to the Christian conversion of the entire island of Ireland – all within his own lifetime.

Preserving and Protecting Ancient Books and Manuscripts

But what about the connection with St. Patrick that leads to the preservation and safe keeping of Western Civilization as we know it?

Any travels through Ireland, especially the west, one encounters the iconic tall towers which were built to provide beacons of safety for the many monasteries dotting the countryside. These monasteries served as havens of protection, education for the surrounding population, not just for the monks and scribes who lived, studied and worked there.

In a time when books in our own libraries are disappearing off shelves in high schools all over the country, we can better appreciate how these Irish monks and scholars saved all the great books of Western Civilization. While libraries and learning were systematically destroyed over mainland Europe, manuscripts of Greek and Latin writers, from Plato to Plutarch, Augustine to Aquinas, were carefully copied and preserved. The high towers of these monasteries kept the books safe from Viking raids over the centuries, while this tiny emerald isle served as an isolated haven to preserve these precious books from the notice of mainland Europe. The chronicles of Western Civilization kept by the labors of these holy monks, serve as a lesson for the benefits of sometimes keeping a low profile, flying under the radar, so to speak.

A good example of how these monasteries operated, as well as demonstrating the inspired and dedicated making of these manuscripts can be found in The Secret of Kells – a rich, animated film to watch, (it won the Academy Award for best animated film when released in 2009).

Travels in Ireland

In 2008, during a three-week summer study for U.S. educators at the National University of Ireland, Galway, we were treated firsthand to the rich and unique blend of Celtic lore with Christianity. The Celtic crosses incorporate the symbols of the Trinity which already existed long before St Patrick’s time. We visited the ancient monasteries and were treated to demonstrations of the painstaking process of making the parchment from sheepskins, saw the various botanicals that went into making the various inks, and learned how the monks spent hours not only copying the manuscripts, but illuminating them with rich Celtic and Christian designs. Of course, the best examples of these manuscripts can be found at Trinity College in Dublin: the Book of Kells. Go online and see for yourself how beautiful, rich, and complex they are.   

During this cultural interlude into all things Irish, no doubt the teachers participating in this program in Galway learned the art of the pub crawl. The traditional music is alive and well in most of the local pubs, from Flannagan’s to O’Connell’s, and not playing for the benefit of tourism. Being in Galway for most of the summer, we saw few tourists except perhaps on weekends. At each pub along the way,  I soon learned to pace myself, starting with a Jameson on the rocks, and sipping half pints of Guinness from then on. It’s not the same as bar hopping here, as each pub presents its own ambiance, history, and clientele, while musicians will find even the tiniest corners to assemble a three- or four-piece band.

My hope for everyone reading this column would be to visit your favorite pub on March 17^th (mine happens to be Dargan’s downtown) and celebrate the richness of this wonderful holiday. As you raise your glass of Jameson or Guinness, toast the patron saint himself, with a renewed respect for the impact that one holy and dedicated man made, not just on a tiny island, but on a whole civilization.

For more information, and for a fascinating read, check out the book by Thomas Cahill, How the Irish Saved Civilization.