A bonny Saint Patrick’s Day to ye, lads and lasses. Before you all break out the shamrocks and Guinness tonight, take a few minutes to read up on the history of Patricius, missionary to the Irish. Here’s Patrick in a nutshell from Ireland’s Eye, a more detailed history from the Roman Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent, and CCEL has the translated text of Patrick’s Confession, one of only two preserved documents by the Saint, which includes the Celtic creed, “the Rule of Faith of the Trinity.”

Because there is no other God, nor ever was, nor will be, than God the Father unbegotten, without beginning, from whom is all beginning, the Lord of the universe, as we have been taught; and His son Jesus Christ, whom we declare to have always been with the Father, spiritually and ineffably begotten by the Father before the beginning of the world, before all beginning; and by Him are made all things visible and invisible. He was made man, and, having defeated death, was received into heaven by the Father; and He hath given Him all power over all names in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess to Him that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, in whom we believe, and whose advent we expect soon to be, judge of the living and of the dead, who will render to every man according to his deeds; and He has poured forth upon us abundantly the Holy Spirit, the gift and pledge of immortality, who makes those who believe and obey sons of God and joint heirs with Christ; and Him do we confess and adore, one God in the Trinity of the Holy Name.

(If someone has the Rule in its original pre-Jerome Latin, that would be totally awesome, because I can’t find it.)

Update: And how could I miss Young Russ’ Patrick page? Go see.