The land of St. Patrick

Today we started by going to the Saint Patrick Centre and what a wonderful place. We met all the staff and went through the exhibition. The exhibition was incredible and really helped you see Saint Patrick in many lights. He wasn’t just a catholic saint, but a man that symbolizes the birth of Christianity in Ireland and a symbol of joy and festivities for many all over the world. After we grabbed lunch and had a little costume time (HAHA), we set off for a walk to the Down County Museum to learn about the community and more about the story of County Down and Downpatrick. The museum is housed in the old prison and it was amazing to see the living conditions of a prisoner in those days. It would have been awful. The museum also houses the original High Cross for Downpatrick that would welcome you into the town for hundreds of years. It is a beautiful piece and you can feel its history and learn about it in the exhibit around it. It amazing how all these very special items are all near each other as we walked up the street to Down Cathedral where Saint Patrick is buried. His burial site is beautifully symbol with a large stone placed over him simply engraved with the name Patrick. Dr. Tim told us how the stone was placed there to protect the site as for hundreds of years people from all over came and took a handful of dirt for good luck. The Down Cathedral is just beautiful and is a part of the Church of Ireland. The stain glasswork is really remarkable and the detail is so intense it looks like the 12 apostles and Jesus might hope down. After finishing at the Cathedral we headed to Saul Church, which is the first Church of Ireland where Saint Patrick started everything. It is a simple building but once you enter into it you are filled with a feeling that is beyond the power of words. I was overwhelmed by it and really enjoyed just sitting in there for a good 15 minutes on my own right before we left to take it all in. It’s a place of peace and you can feel the love it gives. The stain glass of Saint Patrick in the Church is beautiful and full of color. It really gives you the feeling of his presence and that he is near and watching over. After the Church, we headed for Inch Abbey and the ruin left from the Abbey is something out of a movie… actually it was in Game of Thrones (Cue the cellos and drums) and the view around it is breathtaking. These spots on the Saint Patrick Trail really make you reflect on whom Patrick was. A man that fled a land that he was a slave of and came back to bring hope and light to the land of Ireland through the power of Christianity. If you are religious or not, you can admire what Patrick did and how the message of his life of love and help no matter who you are. Patrick transcends religion, land and political boundaries and it truly makes you think about what the Friends of Saint Patrick are all about. I understood this when I got involved, but being here and going to these places it is even clearer. I start tomorrow my assignments by going to the Northern Ireland Assembly and learning about the political structure of Northern Ireland and its history and really excited to learn from the people and connect it with the message of Saint Patrick.