St. Patrick's Day - Mourning our Pagan ancestors
Unlike my family, I have a less appreciative perspective of St. Patrick. In my mind St. Patrick's Day is a day of mourning.
I wasn't always like this. Going to school, we did all the normal irish things like making construction paper shamrocks, decorating windows with leprechauns, etc. Once I grew up, I quickly learned the truths behind the stories. Once I left Catholicism/Christianity, I celebrated it as a day of Irish Cultural pride.
The legend claims he converted the people of Ireland from Celtic Druidism to Christianity. This is represented in the story of St. Patty driving out the serpents out of Ireland. There were, however, no snakes in Ireland at the time Patrick was alive. Historians tend to agree the “serpents” were a metaphor for Pagans.
So, St. Patrick played a pivotal role in systematically ridding Ireland of anyone who practiced anything outside the realm of Christianity. Our ancestors have him to thank (i.e. curse) 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.
This year, to honor all of my ancestors who fell because of "Saint" Patrick's doing, I will wear black to mourne the loss uncounted druids and mystics... whos homes, lives, and knowledge were lost forever to the crucible of Christianity.
I wasn't always like this. Going to school, we did all the normal irish things like making construction paper shamrocks, decorating windows with leprechauns, etc. Once I grew up, I quickly learned the truths behind the stories. Once I left Catholicism/Christianity, I celebrated it as a day of Irish Cultural pride.
The legend claims he converted the people of Ireland from Celtic Druidism to Christianity. This is represented in the story of St. Patty driving out the serpents out of Ireland. There were, however, no snakes in Ireland at the time Patrick was alive. Historians tend to agree the “serpents” were a metaphor for Pagans.
So, St. Patrick played a pivotal role in systematically ridding Ireland of anyone who practiced anything outside the realm of Christianity. Our ancestors have him to thank (i.e. curse) 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.
This year, to honor all of my ancestors who fell because of "Saint" Patrick's doing, I will wear black to mourne the loss uncounted druids and mystics... whos homes, lives, and knowledge were lost forever to the crucible of Christianity.