Why did St Patrick go to Ireland when he was 16?

 Saint Patrick's journey to Ireland at the age of 16 was not a planned mission, but a consequence of being captured by Irish raiders. These raiders forcibly removed him from his home in Britain, which was a Romanized territory at the time. This abduction led to his enslavement in Ireland.


During his captivity, Saint Patrick was sold into slavery in a region of Ireland known as Dalriada, where he was tasked with herding sheep. It was during this period of enslavement that he turned to Christianity and deepened his faith through prayer.  He viewed his captivity as a test of his faith and devoted himself to God.


Tradition says that after six years, Patrick had a dream in which he was told to escape and return to his homeland.  Following the dream, he fled to the coast and found a ship that took him back to Britain.


Later in life, after becoming a cleric, St. Patrick returned to Ireland with the aim of spreading Christianity. Despite the existence of some Christians in Ireland before his arrival, Patrick is credited with converting a large number of the pagan Irish to Christianity.

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  1. Blog 10 February 2025 at 06:39

    After six years of servitude, St. Patrick had a dream in which he was told to escape and return to Britain. He fled his master and eventually found a ship that took him back home. After reuniting with his family, he continued to study Christianity. Some accounts say he entered the priesthood in France under St. Germain

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