Postcard from the Past: Ireland’s Patron Saint Revered in Puerto Rico for Driving Out Ants
San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 17 – While the feet of Saint Patrick never trod the American continent, his spiritual intervention is believed by the devout to have rid a portion of American territory of a plague as dangerous as that of the serpents which he is reputed to have driven out of Ireland.
According to a legend here, the island was infested by ants and worms in the year 1536.
The ants were especially vicious. They invaded the houses and attacked the inhabitants. Seven infants died from bites. The worms devoured garden produce, and the cattle starved for lack of grass which was destroyed by both pests.
The chief inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition conferred with the bishop of this – the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the new world – and it was decided to select a particular saint to appeal to for aid in the matter.
A meeting of all the prominent clericals of Puerto Rico was held, and it was decided to leave the selection of the saint to chance. The names of the saints in the calendar were written on slips of paper and deposited in a jar. A small boy did the drawing.
Thrusting his hand into the jar, the youngster produced a slip on which appeared the name of Saint Patrick.
“Who is Saint Patrick?” clericals asked each other.
Some obscure saint, it was agreed, and the name was put back.
Again the name of Saint Patrick was drawn. This time, a long discussion took place, for the clericals doubted the power of Saint Patrick and wanted a saint better known to Spaniards.
Eventually, they decided to take one more chance and were astounded to have the now familiar name drawn once more. This third trial settled the matter, and special appeals were made in the Cathedral asking the aid of Ireland’s patron saint.
After three days, corresponding with the three draws, came Saint Patrick’s answer. Rain commenced to fall and it continued almost steadily for three weeks, washing away both worms and ants and causing grass to spring up in the devastated fields.
Then the people did honor to Saint Patrick and celebrated his birthday.
This article appeared in the March 17, 1926 issue of The Casper Daily Tribune.
Saint Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland
According to the Greybull Tribune published March 17, 1922,
Today, March 17, marks the 1,549th anniversary of the birth of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
He was born at Kilpatrick, Scotland on March 17 in the year 373 A.D., and he died at Saul, near Armagh, Ireland in the year 493 at the age of 120 years old.
At 16, Patrick – or Succath, which was his original name – was carried off by pirates, who sold him to an Ulster chieftain, whose flocks he tended for six years. At the end of this period, he made his escape to France, became a monk and lived for some time in Saint Martin’s abbey at Toure and afterwards in the monastery of Lerfns.
He was moved by visions to undertake the version of the pagan Irish.
Having been ordained a bishop and received the papal benediction, he went into Ireland to his field of labor around 432. Here, he founded over 360 churches, baptized more than 12,000 persons and ordained a great number of priests.
Many miracles are ascribed to him, especially his expiration of all the snakes and venomous creatures from Ireland. The custom for many years on Saint Patrick’s day has been the profuse wearing of the Irish shamrock.
