St. Patricks day is a Pagan day of mourning.
By II2aTee
@II2aTee (2559)
United States
March 6, 2009 12:01pm CST
I am what some people might call “Obviously Irish”. I have the token red hair, light skin, and I had freckles as a kid.
So it surprises people when St. Patricks day rolls around, and I leave my house dressed in black from neck to toe.
“Where is your Irish pride!?!” They ask. “Why aren’t you wearing green!?!”
“I have a very different view of St. Patrick than most Irish people I know.” I respond. And if they question me further, I might tell them why in my mind St. Patricks Day is a day of mourning.
The legend of St. Patrick claims he converted the people of Ireland from Pagan to Christianity. They also say he drove all the serpents out of Ireland. However, it is pretty common knowledge that there WERE no snakes in Ireland at the time Patrick was alive, so historians tend to agree that “serpents” were used to describe the Druids and Pagans.
So there we have it. St. Patrick played a pivotal role is ridding Ireland of Druids, Witches, medicine women, shaman and pagan population. We have him to thank for the sacking of the Pagan communities, the destruction of the ancient temples, and the killing of innocent people solely for the fact they did not follow Christianity.
An obvious victory for the Christian-Irish community, but a sad and tragic loss for those who follow the older earth religions.
Though I do not consider myself a follower of any specific religion, I identify the most with the older, earth mother worshiping religions. So I urge my fellow pagan sympathizers to not buy into the hype of St. Patrick’s day.
A Christian hero, no doubt. But a mass murdering zealot to those who respect the old ways.
So, as Irish as I am, I wear black on "Saint" Patricks day, to mourne the loss uncounted druids and mystics... whos homes, lives, and knowledge were lost forever to the crucible of Christianity.
Have you ever heard this point of view? How do you “celebrate” St. Patricks day?
An interesting article on the subject:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1476574/should_pagans_celebrate_st_patricks.html?cat=34
3 people like this
9 responses
@urbandekay (18278)
•
7 Mar 09
Ireland, having split from mainland Europe early had no snakes because they were unable to cross the water to get there. Attributing this to St Pat is no more than looking for an explanation without the benefit of an understanding of the earth sciences.
It also behoves us to remember that St Pat was captured by Irish raiders from mainland Britain and started life as a slave.
Patrick's mission in Ireland was to minister to the Christian community already established there and not to evangelise to non-Christians, but this lack of regard for the facts is typical of those that seek only to discredit that which they hate.
all the best urban
2 people like this
@II2aTee (2559)
• United States
9 Mar 09
I havent disregarded these facts (everything you said was explained in the link I provided), merely presented the point of view of what St. Patricks mission(or any mission for that matter) might have look like to the people who were converted.
Granted St. Patrick wasnt the first Christian to set foot in Ireland and convert the Pagans. But he IS the one who gets the most credit. Im sure you of all people know the difference between history, and history book history. History book history is written by the winners. But in order for there to be a victor, there must be a vanquished. I merely point out the point of view of the later.
1 person likes this
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
7 Mar 09
As an Englishman and a Pagan I don't pay any attention to St Patrick's day or any other Catholic saints days for that matter, including St George. I fully sympathise with your point of view here regarding the intolerant destruction of the "native" beliefs. It's nothing more than cultural genocide. In any case, Patrick was not even Irish, according to his story, he was taken as a slave in an Irish raid on his home, which was somewhere in the region of Carlisle. There was a surviving enclave of Romano - British Christians there, which has been confirmed by archaeological work in the region.
2 people like this
@Galena (9110)
•
6 Mar 09
while this is true as the mythology surrounding this particular Saint (much as with George slaying the "dragon" ridding the UK of Paganism, hehe, pretty inneficient job he did there, meaning I don't celebrate it)
the fact is, the historical mass persecution of Pagans never really happened in the way it's portrayed.
those tried as Witches, were most likely not Witches. less still were they Pagans.
they would have been Christian, as were their communities at the time, and most likely would turn in their graves at being claimed now as some Pagan martyr.
2 people like this
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
6 Mar 09
Hi Tee, That is very interesting and something I'd hadn't heard before. It is a very interesting point of view and makes a lot of sense. I am not Irish but I believe that my ancestors came from England,(hope you won't hold that against me lol). There are a lot of legends about St. Patrick and I'm not sure how much is really known about him. Thanks for the discussion. Blessings.
2 people like this
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
6 Mar 09
I Applaud your wearing of the Black on St Patty's Day Tee. I truely do join you in the loss of the Druids and all the customs that went with them. I don't Believe that the Isle of Ireland ever had snakes, the very well may have been the tale of the killing of the pagans and the Druids.
Years ago, I also remember reading about some sort of secret about the actual canonization of "St Patrick". There always was some question about the authenticity of his "sainthood". But that Ireland hung onto the idea of his "sainthood", because he was their only saint and they were such a catholic country etc.
Shalom~Adoniah
2 people like this
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
8 Mar 09
I actually had not heard either version of the holiday. All I know is that we are supposed to wear green, or you get pinched. Although I dare anyone to pinch me lol. Intolerance is in no stretch of the imagination new, and your story about what really happened on St. Patrick's day shows that. Just because people were of a different faith, they were killed and ran away. Shameful. I don't know when we will learn that no matter what, we are people, and we should accept people, belief and all, for who they are and the content of their character.
@tessah (6617)
• United States
9 Mar 09
same as you darlin.. i wear a black shirt. but its got that emblem on the front of it that my friend charlie and i designed of two snakes intertwined into a celtic knot with the words "Descendant of a Snake" (look for the heathen interest icon) and yes yes, you TOO can have a shirt like this since i have them for sale 
in addition to my attire.. i usually also have a candle burning for the day in respect and homage to those who perished with pride and honor refusing to abandon those they cherished because of the onset of the new religion. i also write up some rant in an attempt to educate the masses on what this day truly is. dont think i will write anything new for this year tho.. i dont think i could do better than i did last year, so i am just going to repost it at some point.
in addition to my attire.. i usually also have a candle burning for the day in respect and homage to those who perished with pride and honor refusing to abandon those they cherished because of the onset of the new religion. i also write up some rant in an attempt to educate the masses on what this day truly is. dont think i will write anything new for this year tho.. i dont think i could do better than i did last year, so i am just going to repost it at some point.
@renemouche (843)
• United States
6 Mar 09
I have heard this point of view before. My last semester of College I took a course called the sociology of religion. We studied all types of religions, beliefs systems etc.. When we got to the earth/old based religions(that is what the proffessor called them) this was talked about along with all the other "hoildays" that we christians have that came from pagan hoildays or rituals. It was quite an interesting class. I learned alot.
2 people like this
