What is St. Patrick’s history?
When you think about St. Patrick’s Day, you might think of wearing green, rainbows with pots of gold, leprechauns, shamrocks, corned beef, and cabbage.
But did you know the reason we honor St. Patrick is because God worked through him to change an entire nation. St. Patrick lived his life as a missionary and disciple maker of Jesus.
5 facts about St. Patrick's history you may not know:
- Irish raiders kidnapped him from his home in Britain as a teen.
- He was sold into slavery in Ireland, where he converted to Christianity.
- After escaping slavery and going back to Britain, God led him to return to Ireland to be a missionary, where he had been captive for six years.
- During his 30-year service as a missionary in Ireland, he faced threats of martyrdom but remained steadfast to spread the Gospel.
- He was one of the greatest missionaries in history, bringing the Gospel to a whole nation. Some historians say he also spread the Gospel throughout parts of Scotland and Germany too.
What can we learn from the life of St. Patrick?
God used his circumstances, the good and the bad, to prepare him to spread the Gospel to the country of Ireland. Just like St. Patrick, God molds and shapes you through all your life experiences if you let Him.
You can imagine St. Patrick probably had little desire to go back to Ireland after escaping. Think about this when God nudges you to share the Gospel when you are uncomfortable or don’t want to go where He is prompting you to go.
St. Patrick’s history leaves a legacy of his commitment to God, surviving centuries in the form of a day named after him. While we may not have a holiday named after us, if we share the Gospel with someone whose life changes, generations can also be changed far beyond our lifetime.
What’s the Story Behind the Use of Shamrocks?
Legend has it that St. Patrick used shamrocks as a visual witnessing tool to explain the Holy Trinity. Each leaf represents a person of the Trinity–God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit– together as one.
You can creatively use what is around you as well to spark spiritual conversations. Read our latest article Spiritual Conversation Starters and download our free guide to see how you can use everyday objects to point others to Jesus.
St. Patrick’s true story was a life lived with God at the center of all he did. He shared the Gospel and obeyed God’s direction. A nation and generations changed because he let God work in and through his life.

If you want to learn how to let God work in and through your life and live each day together with God, take the 50-day faith journey, Your True Story. In seven weeks, your relationship with Jesus and life can change—visit here to learn more.
This year as you wear green and eat corned beef and cabbage with your friends, tell them about St. Patrick's true story—it may start a spiritual conversation that impacts eternity.
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