Happy St. Patrick's Day

There were none of these creatures in Ireland after Saint Patrick finished his work there in the fifth century. Of course, there weren’t any snakes in Ireland before the evangelist brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle, either. Credit the ice age for making sure that slithering reptiles are absent there to this day.

Patrick was taken captive to Ireland at the age of 16 and served his master as a shepherd for six years before escaping. During those years of servitude, Patrick’s faith in God grew; he learned the Celtic language and became familiar with the way of the Druids. Those experiences would come to serve him when he returned later to bring the Christian faith to Ireland.

The snake photograph was made at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2008 James Jordan.