David and Patrick

(from this month's parish magazine)

The patron saints of Wales and Ireland are both commemorated this month. We celebrate David on the 1st and Ptrick on the 15th (usually the 17th but brought forward this year to avoid Holy Week).

The first record of Christians in Britain is in a writing of Tertullian dated 208 and confirmed by Origen 30 years later. The exact date that the Christian gospel came to these islands is unknown. It was definitely more than 400 years before Pope Gregory sent Augustine and his monks to Kent in 597. If the legends of Joseph of Arimathea and Glastonbury are not historical it was probably via those who came to absorb us into the Roman Empire.

Patrick pre-dates David. He was born around 390 and baptised. As a teenager he was taken to Ireland as a slave but later escaped and went to the continent. There he became a priest and eventually returned to Ireland as a missionary bishop. For more than 30 years he preached the gospel and established churches. He baptised thousands, ordained clergy everywhere, and founded a network of monasteries. By his death in 460 he had firmly established Christianity as the faith of the Irish and founded a church strong enough to re-evangelise the mainland following a period of decline and retreat there. This followed invasions by the Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons.

David is the only patron saint of these islands who was a native of the country he represents. He was a Welsh bishop of the 6th century. He was a typical Celtic abbot bishop, an evangelist and founder or monasteries. He built many churches and taught the faith diligently from his episcopal seat at Menevia, the modern St David's. He probably chose this location because it gave easy access to Ireland, with whose bishops he kept up a close connection. He died in about 601.

I think that it is important for us to remember and to celebrate these early saints of the British Isles because they remind us that God plants and preserves the gospel and the church through consecrated people.When the church is under pressure from persecution or unbelief He never leaves himself without witnesses. Despite decline and divisions in our own day there is no need for despopndency as long as there are those who resolutely practise and propogate the faith once delivered to the saints.

My bretheren, persevere in what you have learnt from me and seen with me. On the third day of the week on the first of March I shall go the way of my fathers. Farewell in the Lord. I shall depart . Never shall we be seen on the earth again. (St David)

I was like a stone lying in deep mud but he that is mighty lifted me up and placed me on top of the wall. (St Patrick)