Patrick was born at Banna Venta Berniae, around AD 387. His father, Calpornius, was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest. At around sixteen years of age he was captured by Irish raiders and taken from his native Wales, to Ireland, where he became a slave. He was held captive for six years and put to work as a herdsman in Slemish, County Antrim. Whilst in captivity his faith grew and he prayed daily. It is claimed his period of slavery ended when he heard a voice telling him he would soon be going home and that his ship was ready. Patrick is said to have fled, and travelled two hundred miles to a port. He found a ship and made the journey home to his family. A few years later Patrick had a vision and relates the story in his own words."I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, he gave me one of them. I read the heading 'The Voice of the Irish'. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea-and they cried out, as with one voice: We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.
Patrick entered the church and later returned to Ireland as a missionary. He writes that he "baptized thousands of people". He ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became nuns, in the face of family opposition. He also claims to have converted sons of kings. He later wrote an open letter announcing that he had excommunicated certain Brythonic warriors of Coroticus who had raided Ireland, along with Picts and Irishmen,who had taken some of Patrick's converts into slavery. Patrick is believed to have died in AD 461, but there is some doubt about the exact period of his life.
