SC - non-member submission - Re: sca-cooks V1 #2797

[Michael F. Gunter]

An interesting bit of ecclesiastical trivia pertaining to Patrick and
Irish/Celtic Christianity!
Patrick in his own biography tells us that his father was a deacon and
his grandfather, a priest. This was not at all uncommon among the rural
and even sub urban clergy in the centuries before the pontificate of
Innocent the III.

However, when Patrick returns to Europe and home, he goes to Rome to
seek direction, and is sent to study, NOT in Rome with Roman monks, but
with Greek monks living in Ravenna!! It is from Ravenna that Patrick
goes forth, via Rome for permission and funds, but it is Greek monks
that he takes with him!
Hence the first brand of Christianity which the Irish recieved was not
Roman or Latin, but Greek!!
This can give us a great deal in the way of clues as to how early Irish
adapted to Christianity and vice verse!
The fasting customs of the Greek church are reflected in the great
ascetic traditions of the Celtic Church. As is many of the prayers and
reverence given Creation and humans Responsability towards the earth!
This also explains why the great gospel books were usually written in
Greek with Latin letters!!
Yes, Patrick was a Briton/Breton by birth and a Roman by family status,
but by ecclesiastical rite, I'd say he was probably a Greek/Byzantine!
Many of the extant Celtic rituals seem descendant right from the Liturgy
of St.John Crysostom and even earlier, of St. James of Jerusalem, two of
the oldest liturgies found in Christianity!


Marcus Loidolt
M.A Church History, Social Anthropology





> sca-cooks          Monday, November 20 2000          Volume 01 :
Number 2797
>     RE: St. Patrick (was Re: SC - Haggis shop???)
> Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 08:00:53 -0600
> From: "Decker, Terry D." <TerryD at Health.State.OK.US>
> Subject: RE: St. Patrick (was Re: SC - Haggis shop???)
>
> Briton as opposed to Breton.  A Briton is an inhabitant of the British

> Isles.  A Breton is an inhabitant of Brittany, a peninsula on the
French
> coast between the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay.  The names
are also
> applied to the Celtic peoples inhabiting these areas.  Bretons are
Britons
> who were forced out of the British Isles during the Anglo-Saxon
incursion
> about 500 CE.
>
> Bear
>
> > Patrick was a Romanized Breton, that's about as English as a
> > Native American
> > is Canadian.
> >
> > He was a Roman.
> >
> >
> > Cadoc
>