St. Patrick, the clover and snakes: pagan and magical aspects.
The character of St. Patrick is known for being the patron saint of Ireland, with one of the largest celebrations worldwide on March 17, following the Irish diaspora of the 19th century. However, linked to the history of this Christian saint are a series of aspects related to folklore and magic, which make the holiday take on a special magical value inside and outside Ireland.
To begin with, historically there are doubts about the chronology and background of his physical person. For many this is simply the hallmark of most saints, whose existence has a basis, but is embellished with different legends.
The clover
The best known of these is the three-leaf clover to explain the Catholic trinity God-Jesus-Holy Spirit, however, the clover itself already had its own characteristics to be not only a symbol of Ireland, but also of divinity and luck.
It is known that the number three in the Celtic world was sacred and magical, and the trinity was not something exclusive to Christianity, but among its divinities there were also triads. The same occurred with the sequences of four: four seasons, four elements, etc. The four-leaf clover or the cross were not totally foreign symbols. So, in any case, Patrick (whose true Celtic name is still in dispute), what he did was explain his faith with an easily understandable parallel.
Clovers had herbal applications for the Druids. They have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, although it is thought that they were also used to reach certain states of consciousness or trance, by chewing them. One problem is the name of the clovers, since it does not seem to be distinguished from that of the oxalis, another type of plant with three or four leaves that is very similar, and often confused.
On the other hand, although it is difficult to discern whether it is something of Celtic origin or later folklore, the clovers were considered signs and symbols of other worlds. That is, the clover was a funerary or transformation symbol, as well as "warning" of the presence of the underworld or fairies. Even today there are funeral decorations and wreaths on graves that include clovers. In this way, clovers can be used both as protection against these beings, as well as calls to contact them.
Clovers were used to avoid glamour spells, a Scottish word referring to the deception that witches and fairies were capable of, making themselves look like old women instead of beautiful young women, or hiding their homes from human sight. To do this, a magic ointment was prepared with the four-leaf clover as the main ingredient, which allowed the person who anointed it to see reality.
Likewise, the four-leaf clover has its exclusivity as an amulet due to a Christian legend, in which Eve used it to cover herself when they were expelled from Paradise; so this plant would come directly from there and finding it would be a great blessing.
Despite everything, it was as a result of the celebrations in the United States that the fame of the four-leaf clover's luck spread more than ever.
Magical legends of St. Patrick
St. Patrick himself is involved in several magical episodes that are seen as blessings or interventions of the Christian God, even though they share practically the same form, execution or vocabulary as is customary in the pagan context. The first of these may be the fact that, having been captured at the age of 16 by pirates, it was revealed to him in a dream how to escape.
Another example is found in the Lyber hymnorum, called The Deer's Cry, and the basis of the prayer of the 5th century, called the Lorica of St. Patrick. In this supposed episode, Patrick and a companion were ambushed in the forest, but he prayed the Lorica, and the miracle occurred: the villains saw the humans as two deer, and let them go. The detail is in the expression used in the old Irish in which it is written: fáeth figocad. This expression was used to talk about the mist that the druids and fairies hid in.
It should not be forgotten that Patrick was Celtic, probably British, and that therefore he had been raised in the religion and customs of this territory. Perhaps that is why all the comparisons made are so magical and druidic. On the other hand, it must be taken into account that when talking about this character there are also religious figures who define him as a bad Christian, a sorcerer and a vengeful man.
Recently, the possibility has begun to be raised that Patrick had used a system of religious expansion based on the figure of the bards or filidh, who made prophecies and were astrologers, as well as writers and philosophers. Karacic (2010) raises the possibility that this group joined Patrick because of their own rivalries against druids and political leaders, allowing them to make their divinations in exchange for spreading the new faith.
There are many legends in which the druids challenge Patrick and he is able to emulate their spells, even killing several of them (one who tried to poison his tunic, another who levitated to demonstrate his power...). On another occasion, as told in the Speculum Regale (12th century), he punished some pagans who did not listen to him by turning them into werewolves. In other encounters, they do not fight, but discuss religion.
He also fought with Celtic entities, such as the goddess Corra, or Caoranach, the sea serpent; the saint is also said to be the one who freed the island of snakes, although according to science, the island never had any due to its isolation. There are also texts in which his fingers had their own light, or in which he managed to avoid getting wet in the rain.
The leprechauns were also part of their legends. It is said that on their own initiative or instigated by the druids, the leprechauns entered the churches and made a fuss. Saint Patrick managed to expel the leprechauns in the name of God. It is said that both the name of God and that of Saint Patrick are effective against these beings, and his image is used to bless homes or places where it is believed that leprechauns may inhabit. However, there remains the popular memory that, if you do not dress in green on St. Patrick's Day, the leprechauns will come and pinch you.
Obviously these are legends embellished with the aim of moralizing or showing the victory of Christianity, however, it is still curious how purely traditional magical examples are used.
The snakes
We have previously spoken about the expulsion of the snakes, even though, due to the changes of the Ice Age, snakes never inhabited the island. As in other mythologies, it could be thought that the death of snakes/dragons is simply a new era without the terrors instilled by the animal, which in this case symbolizes evil. According to others, snakes would be a metaphor for the last pagan Celts, overwhelmed by Christianity.
These would be the two examples given against Celtic beings: Caoranach the sea serpent and Corra, wrongly called demon. Corra was actually a snake-goddess, symbol of rebirth and fertility, consequently, patterns opposed to Christianity. It is said that she coiled around him for two days during which the saint meditated, and finally came out stabbing her and killing her. The place on the coast where the pieces fell was called Saint Patrick's Purgatory, however, everything points to the fact that there must have been some cave or grotto of pagan initiation there.
Not in vain is the snake one of the great symbols of current neopagans.
Pietro Viktor Carracedo Ahumada - pietrocarracedo@gmail.com
Bibliography:
-Karacic, A., Silva. The Mist People. The Irish Mythological Cycle. Kacicron,
-Monaghan. P. The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Facts on file INC, 2014
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