History or Legend?
The problem concerning St. Patrick arises when one attempts to separate
the historical Patrick from the Patrick of legend. Ask any Irishman
about the life of St. Patrick and you will most likely be met with
whispered tales of a brave man who drove the snakes from the shores
of Ireland, or a fearless man who confronted the pagan Druids on their
own ground and triumphed over their supernatural powers, or even a
wise man who used the three leafed shamrock to illustrate to the Irish
people the union of the Holy Trinity. But as enchanting as these tales
may be, many are merely stories, yarns made up by well-meaning scribes
and politicians of the time to propagate the legend of the man who
brought Christianity to Ireland. Modern scholars are generally agreed
that the only sound basis to start from is contained within his own
writings, namely the "Confessio" and the "Letter to Coroticus
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