Early Years

Patrick was born into a well-to-do family in what was to be today's Great Britain, presumably not far from its western coast and probably in Wales. The year of his birth is generally set at 389. Seaborne Irish raiders kidnapped him in his teens, and he spent several years indentured as a herdsman. It seems almost certain that this captivity was in today's County Antrim in the northeast of Ireland. During these lonely years, Patrick became very close to God. And in his 20's, he was able to escape in a boat that took him to present-day France. 

The sequence of event in his next two decades is particularly uncertain. Among other things, he was thought to be in Tours and to have spent some time on the monastic island of Lerins in the Mediterranean, just off today's Cannes. He visited his relatives in Britain and spent several years back in France at Auxerre. Most important, however, was that God called him during this period to return to Ireland and preach Christianity. According to one scenario, this happened in Lerins, and Patrick subsequently went to Auxerre to be ordained and to gain experience and knowledge for such a mission. 

There is a tradition that Patrick was a nephew of Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours, even thought 
that saint was born in today's Hungary, far to the east of Patrick's immediate family. A further 
tradition says that Saint Martin bestowed upon Patrick his status as a cleric. This is difficult to reconcile with the year of Saint Martin's death in 397. 

After some difficulty, Patrick persuaded his religious superiors in France that he was suitable for the Irish mission. Consecrated a bishop, he succeeded Ireland's first prelate, Pallidus, whose flock had consisted mainly of Roman Britons and other non-Irish Christians on the site. Then Patrick set out 
taking along a well-thought-out retinue of companions and assistants.