Sunday, March 3rd starting at 11:30am the Atrium Fellowship will focus on the story of St. Patrick of Ireland.
St. Patrick's feast day is March 17th. Many people celebrate all that is Irish on March 17th especially the folklore and legends of the "little people" such as leprechauns and fairies, and pots of gold at the end of rainbows.
St. Patrick's Day has been and always will be a Christian feast day of the man named Patrick, who brought Christianity to the isle of Ireland in the 5th century. Patrick was British, but was kidnapped at the age of 16 by Irish bandits and sold into slavery on Ireland. Patrick was forced to serve as a shepherd until he escaped captivity and returned to Britain. Patrick became a priest and then a bishop, when he had a vision to return Ireland to convert the pagans to Christianity.
There are many legends around St. Patrick's mission in Ireland. One such legend states that St. Patrick drove out all the snakes on Ireland. Another claims that St. Patrick floated on an altar stone across the Irish Sea.
One of the most popular legends of St. Patrick involves the shamrock. During a sermon, it is said that St. Patrick was trying to explain the Doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to his congregation, so he picked a shamrock and explained that just as the three pedals are distinguished from one another, they are one clover leaf, just as the Trinity is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The story of St. Patrick will be read and the children will make a St. Brigid Cross out of chenille stems.
St. Brigid is another Irish saint. In Christian religion, St. Brigid and her cross are linked together by a story about her weaving this form of cross at the death bed of either her father or a pagan lord, who upon hearing what the cross meant, asked to be baptized.
One version goes as follows: A pagan chieftain from the neighbourhood of Kildare was dying. Christians in his household sent for Brigid to talk to him about
Christ. When she arrived, the chieftain was raving. As it was impossible to instruct this delirious man, hopes for his conversion seemed doubtful. Brigid sat down at his bedside and began consoling him. As was customary, the dirt floor was strewn with rushes both for warmth and cleanliness. Brigid stooped down and started to weave them into a cross, fastening the points together. The sick man asked what she was doing. She began to explain the cross, and as she talked, his delirium quieted and he questioned her with growing interest. Through her weaving, he converted and was baptized at the point of death. Since then, the cross of rushes has existed in Ireland.
Please sign-up for fellowship on the bulletin board across from the clergy offices or email dawncampbell@stjameslothian.com.
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