PATRICK

Patrick: translation

EnglishandIrish, also very popular inFrance: name of the apostle and patron saint of Ireland (c.389–461). He was a Christian Briton and a Roman citizen, who as a young man was captured and enslaved by raiders from Ireland. He escaped and went toGaulbefore returning home to Britain. However, in about 419 he felt a call to do missionary work in Ireland. He studied for twelve years at Auxerre, and in 432 returned to Ireland, where he went to the court of the high kings at Tara, and made some converts. He then travelled about Ireland making further converts until about 445, when he established his archiepiscopal see at Armagh.By the time of his death almost the whole of Ireland was Christian. He codified the laws of Ireland, preserving the social structure of pagan Ireland and graftingChristianityon to it. In hisLatinautobiography, as well as in later tradition, his name appears asPatricius‘patrician’ (i.e. belonging to the Roman senatorial or noble class), but this may actually represent aLatinizedform of some lostCeltic(British) name.

Cognates:Irish Gaelic: Pádraig, Páraic.Scottish Gaelic: Pàdraig (usuallyAnglicizedasPETER(SEE Peter)).Italian: Patrizio.Spanish,Portuguese: Patricio.

Short form:PAT(SEE Pat).

Pet form:PADDY(SEE Paddy).