St. Patrick's Day

Keit

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Lot of people going to selebrate St. Patrick's day on 17'th March.
And I wanted to know a story behind this selebration.
According to this site http://www.saintpatricksday.co.nz/default.asp?PageName=StPat
He got rid of all the snakes, or in another version - got rid of all the druids, because snake was a symbol of their religion.

It is thought St Patrick went to Ireland from West Britain around 400 AD. Legend says that as a youth he was kidnapped by an Irish raiding party and sold as a slave, but after several years of herding animals he escaped to Europe where he became a priest. Then, one night he dreamed of a voice that called to him to return to Ireland to 'walk once more among us'. His mission was to convert the Pagan Celts to Christianity.
In this he most certainly succeeded, but used rather unusual methods. His most famous feat - ridding Ireland of its snakes - was carried out (according to the legend) by persuading them to slither into boxes, which he then threw into the sea. The rough waters of the Irish Sea are said to be caused by the violent movement of the snakes trying to escape from their boxes.
Another theory suggests that in introducing Christianity, what he really rid Ireland of was Druids (the symbol of this ancient religion was a snake). Whatever the truth of the matter, there are no snakes and few druids in Ireland today.
Was this man a factual historical figure, or it's another symbolical story, a myth? Why snakes? And why druids?
Maybe there is some interesting meaning behind this story. Can anyone help me to find an information about it?
 
Micheal Tsarion:

From: http://www.taroscopes.com/astro-theology/astrotheology2.html#irish%20origins

"The word Druid has been mistranslated as referring to oak trees and their veneration. The Oak was indeed sacred to the Druids, but then so was all of nature. The word's origin has two probable sources, and these are related. The word is probably from the Celtic "DRU-VID" which means "one who knows," or "one who has knowledge." It may also derive from from "DRUTHIN," which means "Servant of Truth." In German it means "of God." A Celtic priestess was also known as a "Druith." In fact, we derive the word truth, from Druthin. The hard d sound becomes Anglesized as t. The Druidic motto was Y Gwir Erbyn Y Byd (“Truth Against the World”)."

..."when St. Patrick spoke of casting out "serpents" from the land, we understand that he was referring to the non-Christian Druidic Cults which he was sent to eradicate."


Laura, heard this before?! (From same link as above)...

"The Greek hero Perseus, and the Arthurian Sir PERCIVAL have their origins in this Celtic Esus, (or Esius)."

Quoted in the same text: "The Irish are one of the most ancient nations that I know of at this end of the world, and are from as mighty a race as the world ever brought forth - Edward SPENSER (writer, and British Government Official in Ireland, AD 1596)"
 
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