On Easter Sunday in 433 AD, the blessed Saint Patrick led a humble band of missionaries against the amassed strength of Ireland's druidic magicians in order to announce the arrival of the Gospel at the High King (Ard-Righ) Leoghaire's feast at Tara. A stern decree had been issued that no fires might be lit before the lighting of King Leoghaire's hearth to announce the feast, but Patrick lit a fire on the tallest of the hills around Tara in open defiance of the King's silly proclamation. The resulting battle between the enraged druids and St. Patrick reads like a wizard battle scene out of Lord of the Rings. I will let the inimitable Catholic Encyclopedia take it from here."On Easter Day the missionary band having at their head the youth Benignus bearing aloft a copy of the Gospels, and followed by St. Patrick who with mitre and crozier was arrayed in full episcopal attire, proceeded in processional order to Tara. The druids and magicians put forth all their strength and employed all their incantations to maintain their sway over the Irish race, but the prayer and faith of Patrick achieved a glorious triumph. The druids by their incantations overspread the hill and surrounding plain with a cloud of worse than Egyptian darkness. Patrick defied them to remove that cloud, and when all their efforts were made in vain, at his prayer the sun sent forth its rays and the brightest sunshine lit up the scene. Again by demoniac power the Arch-Druid Lochru, like Simon Magus of old, was lifted up high in the air, but when Patrick knelt in prayer the druid from his flight was dashed to pieces upon a rock."
Man, is that ever awesome!
St. Patrick kicks ass for the Lord!
"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass!"
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