lived: 387 to 461
Ireland’s patron Saint was actually English; as a young boy, he was taken as a slave to Ireland. Years later, he escaped back to his homeland, but God had other plans for him.
One night, Patrick saw a vision of a man, whose name was Victoricus, coming as it was from Ireland, with countless letters. And he gave me one of them, and I read the opening words of the letter, which were, the voice of the Irish; And as I read the beginning of the letter I thought that at the same moment I heard their voice-they were those beside the Wood of Voclut, which is near the western sea-and thus did they cry out as with one mouth: we asked thee boy, come and walk among us once more.
Patrick followed the prophetic call of God and returned to the nation that had enslaved him. He performed many miracles, planted several churches, and Led thousands to Christ. He even prophesied of an Irish Saint who would follow him by returning the gospel to Britain: A man-child shall be born of his race, he will be a sage, a prophet, a poet, a beloved lamp, pure, clear, who will utter no falsehood. This prophecy was fulfilled when St. Columba left Ireland for Scotland.
He said Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ besides me, Christ to win me; Christ to comfort and restore me; Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.