Once again, my studies have brought me to the British Isles (a geographical term which does not imply that Ireland belongs to Great Britain). My first foray into the Isles was documented in my article "Wales and the Lost Tribes of Israel," and as it happens, Maewyn, Patrick;s birth name, has Welsh origins.
Now, my research has taken me to the emerald island, where I have discovered a recurring pattern throughout history: the manipulation of a person's true identity to fit a specific narrative. This phenomenon occurred with Yeshua and Paul and how they are presented in the Christian Church.
In this case, I am delving into the records to uncover the true person behind St. Patrick. Contrary to popular belief, the celebrated saint was not Catholic but was, in fact, born a Hebrew. It is likely that his family settled in the British Isles following the siege of Jerusalem.
“The learned declare that he was of the Jews by origin, since it is manifest from the miracles which God wrought for him, that he was of the children of Israel, for of them were the Jews besides. For when the vengeance was inflicted by Titus and Vespasian, the Jews were scattered throughout the world, and Patrick’s original kindred came to Britain…” (Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore. United States, AMS Press, 1890. pg. 150)
“Patrick may have been descended from the Sons of Israel. When the Sons of Israel were banished by Titus and Vespasian into slavery to the four corners of the world in revenge for the blood of Christ, his ancestors came to Britain.” (Book Of Leinster, 1160.)
“The links must account for the Hebrew quality of Irish monasticism, for modern Jewish authorities affirm that the remaining remnants of the Samaritan sect represent the purest form of the ancient Hebrew stock. The Samaritans were part of the northern tribes of Israel and their capital, Shechem was destroyed by Vespasian in 70 A.D. Since St. Patrick is said to be
the descendant of an Israelite family who were scattered by Vespasian and Titus “in bondage throughout the four quarters of the world” and who came to Britain, it is possible that Patrick himself was of Samaritan ancestry.” (Boswell, Winthrop Palmer. The Roots of Irish Monasticism. United States, San Francisco State College., 1969. pg. 64-65)
Before moving on, there are three important points to note from the quotes mentioned. Firstly, it is worth considering why some Jews who fled Judea ended up in the British Isles. It is unlikely that they simply closed their eyes and pointed to a spot on the map. In my previous article, "Wales and the Lost Tribes of Israel," I argued that some of the northern tribes, specifically the House of Israel, may have found their way to the British Isles after being divorced and kicked out of their land.
Secondly, in the Book of Leinster, it is suggested that the Jewish people were exiled from Israel for killing Yeshua. While true in a sense, it was Rome that had killed Yeshua, and it's also important to remember that thousands of Jewish people were among his followers, and he himself was Jewish, as were his disciples. The writer of the Book of Leinster seems to be pushing a narrative that suggests the Jews (specifically, those of the House of Judah) are completely against the Messiah.
Thirdly, in "The Roots of Irish Monasticism," the author suggests that Maewyn may have been from Samaria, a region whose inhabitants are said to be descendants of the northern tribes that were not exiled from Israel after Assyria's conquest. This would make Maewyn a Hebrew by blood but not a Jew. For more information, please refer to my article "Israel and Judah.".
Ireland and the Torah
Continuing with The Roots of Irish Monasticism, the author goes on to say,
“Israelitish features in Irish monasticism include the use of an Eastern type liturgy visible in the Antiphonary if Bangor, the festal observance of Saturday in the same manner as the Jews, evidence for a Pharisaic observance of Sunday, the prominence of Hebrew features in Irish canon law collections (including Biblical Cities of Refuge and Jubilee Years), together with Mosaic prohibitions on diet, and injunctions on tithes likewise Hebraic in inspiration. There was also a Hebrew treatment of the sanctuary as already noted in the case of St. Columbanus, and finally there were numerous Hebrew words occurring in cryptographic monastic Irish works such as Hisperica Famina.” (Boswell, Winthrop Palmer. The Roots of Irish Monasticism. United States, San Francisco State College., 1969. pg. 64-65)
Historians have pointed out the similarities between the Celtic/Gaelic and Hebrew languages over the years. In Acts chapter 29, we find a possible explanation for this phenomenon. It is suggested that the Celts, to some degree, retained their ancient ways of keeping Torah.
Maewyn is credited with bringing the truth of Yeshua and Torah to Ireland. However, this was only after he had spent six years there as a slave. After regaining his freedom, he returned to Ireland and shared the powerful and life-changing message of Elohim. This is why there are so many references to Ireland and the Celts in general doing things in a Hebrew manner.
“The Celts used a Latin Bible unlike the Vulgate, and kept Saturday as a day of rest, with special religious services on Sunday.” The Rise of the Mediaeval Church and Its Influence on the Civilization of Western Europe from the First to the Thirteenth Century. United States, B. Franklin, Flick, Alexander Clarence. 1909. pg. 237)
“It seems to have been customary in the Celtic churches of early times, in Ireland as well as Scotland, to keep Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, as a day of rest from labor, and Sunday, commemorative of the Lord’s resurrection, as one of rejoicing, with exercises of public worship. In that case they obeyed the fourth commandment literally upon the seventh day of the week—the day on which the Lord lay in the grave—and did not understand the precept about resting from labor to apply to the day of rejoicing over his resurrection.” The Church in Scotland: A History of Its Antecedents, it Conflicts, and Its Advocates, from the Earliest Recorded Times to the First Assembly of the Reformed Church. United States, Presbyterian Board of Education, Moffat, James Clement. 1882. pg.140)
To correct a common misconception, the Sabbath is not Jewish, it belongs to Yah. However, it is not surprising that many historians and academics refer to anything Hebrew as Jewish, even in the case of Abraham who was born before the existence of the tribe of Judah.
A central feature [of the Celtic churches] was the profound respect for the authority of the Scripture, and a strong emphasis on the legal aspects of the Old Testament. The Liber ex Lege Moisi survives in four manuscripts of Irish origin, dating from c. 800 (Hardinge 1972, 50). It consists of a series of texts of Old Testament law, covering a variety of topics and situations. The work expresses an unstated assumption that Old Testament law was a prime directive for the proper conduct of everyday life. Hardinge cites a series of parallels between Celtic Christian practices and those of the Old Testament, in which the Celtic is a much closer variant of the original than anything surviving in the other branches of Christianity. The shared elements include the keeping of the Saturday Sabbath, tithing, the definition of “first fruits” and offerings, the establishment of walled precincts for the priestly/monastic families, inheritance of religious office, and fasting and dietary restrictions.” (St Joseph in Britain: Reconsidering the Legends. Part 2. Deborah K. E. Crawford. Folklore, vol. 105, 1994, pp. 51–59. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1260629)
Maewyn and his disciple Columba were known for teaching the entire Bible, not just the small portion found at the back of the book. This stands in stark contrast to how Christianity is often taught by modern preachers and teachers.
“Following the example Patrick, Columba and Celtic Christians for centuries made the Scriptures the foundation for their studies.” (The Celtic Church in Britain. Hardinge. pg. 30)
“…Columba was likewise credited with teaching “the books of the Law completely…” (The Celtic Church in Britain. Hardinge. pg. 50)
“…the Celtic Church began when Sabbath observance had not been relinquished by Christians at large…These traditions persisted for more than two centuries after the saint’s death.” (The Celtic Church in Britain. United Kingdom, S.P.C.K. for the Church Historical Society, Hardinge, Leslie. 1972. pg. 78)
If the historical Maeywn was a Torah-keeping follower of Yeshua, then how did Saint Patrick come about? Unfortunately, it is difficult for a person to defend themselves or speak out against false accusations once they have passed away.
“Two centuries elapsed after Patrick’s death before any writer attempted to connect Patrick’s work with a papal commission. No pope ever mentioned him, neither is there anything in the ecclesiastical records of Rome concerning him.” (Truth Triumphant: The Church in the Wilderness. United States, Hartland Publications, Wilkinson, Benjamin George. 2004. pg. 81)
The Roman Church, or Christianity, waited until Maewyn, his disciple Columba, and all those who knew him had passed away before they began to rewrite history to fit their own narrative. Regrettably, this practice has been applied to many figures throughout history, including one who is now relegated to the realm of fantasy.
Rome vs the Torah
When Constantine made Christianity the main religion of Rome, his intention was not to follow Yah as Yeshua did, but to use his own means. He merged pagan practices and festivals with Christian beliefs, such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and Valentine's Day.
I believe that Satan is actively working to manipulate the Roman-rooted church and erase the true history of those who followed Yeshua. This includes renaming certain groups and altering the characteristics of individuals such as Maewyn, erasing the parts of him that made him who he was.
The British Isles, perhaps because of their distance from Rome, did not immediately submit to the religious mandate. It would take centuries for Roman missionaries and monks to finally convert the Isles. However, these church officials had much to say about the region.
“The Britains are against the entire world. They are hostile toward the Roman customs, not only in the Mass, but also on their tonsure, serving with the Jews in the shadow rather than the truth.” (St. Joseph In Britain: Reconsidering The Legends, Part 2 as originally published in Folklore Vol. 105, 1994)
“If one flouts the Council of Nicaea and keeps Easter with the Jews on the fourteenth of the moon, he shall be driven out of every church unless he does penance before his death.” (Medieval Handbooks of Penance: A Translation of the Principal "libri Poenitentiales" and Selections from Related Documents. United States, Columbia University Press, McNeill, John Thomas, and Gamer, Helena Margaret. 1938. pg. 188)
Maewyn’s Supposed Confessio
This letter has been attributed to Maewyn himself, but upon closer examination and taking a holistic approach to analyzing the document, it can only be concluded that this letter was not written by Maewyn and was most likely used by the Catholic Church to push their agenda. The Church wanted to turn him into a Catholic saint and used the letter to show that he had no issue with eating pork, a well-known method used by the Inquisition in identifying Jews. In the letter, Saint Patrick details being on a long journey with a group of companions who were on the brink of starvation when their prayers were answered by a herd of pigs.
“And with God's help this came to pass; and behold, a herd of swine appeared on the road before our eyes, and they slew many of them, and remained there for two nights, and the were full of their meat and well restored, for many of them had fainted and would otherwise have been left half dead by the wayside.” (Confessio, attributed to Saint Patrick of Ireland.)
Now that we have gathered evidence showing that the Celtic people, including Maewyn, were Torah observant to some degree, we can see how this is problematic. Moreover, the church of Ireland, which Maewyn is credited with founding, followed many of the Torah's teachings, including the dietary instructions.
“The rules of the Old Testament which shaped the theocracy of Israel were followed by the Celts as a natural consequence of their view of biblical authority. The role of the Liber ex Lege Moisi was paramount. The laws defining clean and unclean animals which might or might not be used as food, the methods of slaughtering animals, the advice on hygiene applying to both men and women, the Levirite marriage, the precepts modifying usury and slavery, the treatment of widows and orphans, as well as the payment of tithes and the offerings of first fruits, all were thought necessary.” (The Celtic Church in Britain. Hardinge. pg. 202)
Conclusion
Maewyn Succat was a man whose true attributes have been forgotten by many. His morals have been erased and reformatted to fit an agenda. Rather than being recognized as someone who brought the Torah and the message of Yeshua to Ireland, he is falsely remembered as the one who brought Catholicism to the Celts, his memory reduced to nothing more than a drinking holiday celebrated with green beer.
I hope you have enjoyed this little journey, and I beseech each one of you to do your own research on the matter. May the Ruach Hakodesh lead you into all truth.
P.S.
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