Chapter 19. A Day of Infamy. It was a pleasant summer day. Secundinus and Auxilius had proved to be able missionaries and were now preaching in other parts of Ireland. In a meadow overlooking a sandy beach on the east coast of Ireland, Patrick and Loman were leading a group of new believers in fasting and prayer. These new converts were readying themselves for baptism the next morning. With bowed heads, tearful eyes, and contrite hearts, they confessed their sins and prayed to God for forgiveness.
The vigil lasted well into the night. At dawn the next morning, Patrick and Loman led the group down to the beach and baptized them in the chilly waters of the Irish Sea. As was his usual practice, Patrick laid hands on the newly baptized believers, clothed them in white robes, and traced the sign of the cross on their foreheads with scented oil. Patrick and Loman had an appointment at another church, so they left the group of new believers under the care of Alb, a young Irish presbyter.
As they watched Patrick and his companions disappear into the nearby forest, the group of new converts praised God and sang psalms and hymns together. They ended their pre-baptismal fast with a simple meal of bread, fish, and parched grain. A few hours after Patrick and Loman had left, one of the newly baptized men spied a ship approaching. As the ship drew closer, they recognized it to be a Roman ship. "It must be from Britain," one of them exclaimed jubilantly.
"No doubt it brings more supplies and workers for the church in Ireland." Indeed, the boat was from Britain, and as it came closer to shore, the Irish converts could see the cross emblazoned on its main sail. Several of the men in the boat leaped into the water with ropes in their hands, wading to shore, pulling the boat behind them. "Let's go help them unload their provisions," one of the newly baptized Christians suggested. So the entire party of men and women hurried excitedly down to the shore.
As they drew closer to the ship, these new believers were surprised to find that the sailors were all armed with swords and spears. However, they shrugged it off, thinking that the sailors feared attacks from pirates. Alb led the party of new believers toward the boat. "I wish Patrick was here," he told the others nervously. "I can't speak British, and I know only a little Latin." "Welcome, brothers!" Alb called out in imperfect Latin. With outstretched arms, he approached one of the visitors.
Just as he was about to embrace the visitor, the man replied coldly, "You're not my brother." He suddenly unsheathed his sword and plunged it into Alb's stomach. The young presbyter staggered back in astonishment and then collapsed, blood gushing out of his gaping wound. The other Irish Christians stood frozen in terror and disbelief. "Patrick said that Christians love one another." Suddenly, they began screaming and praying aloud to God.
As they turned to run, the soldiers fell upon them mercilessly with naked swords and iron-tipped javelins. "That's for my daughter," one of the soldiers grunted as he hacked a young Irish man to death. Another soldier hurled a spear into the back of a fleeing man. A third soldier grabbed one of the women by her long red hair and yanked her to the ground. In a few moments' time, the soldiers had captured all of the women and boys and had butchered nearly all of the men.
A few of the men escaped into the woods, running in terror. One group of soldiers then dashed quickly towards some houses they saw in the distance. When they reached the houses, they brutally massacred everyone in sight and carried off as many valuables as they could find. Before leaving the houses, they set them on fire. In less than two hours, it was all over. The soldiers were back on the ship, which was now loaded with prisoners and loot. They then quickly set off for Britain.
Meanwhile, the Irish Christians who had escaped caught up with Patrick. Worn out from their run, they collapsed at his feet. Gasping for air as they spoke, they told him what had happened. Their words cut through Patrick like the iron blade of one of the soldiers' swords. "Quick, we must hurry back before the ship leaves," Patrick shouted to Loman. He and some of the men immediately set out on foot for the coast, at the speed of a forced march.
"God, give my frail legs the strength they had when I was young," Patrick prayed silently as he pushed on. "Father, please don't let the ship leave before we arrive." When they finally reached the meadow by the sea, Patrick stood aghast in horror. The bright green grass was strewn with the bodies of the slain Christian men. They still wore their baptismal robes, which were now stained in crimson.
Falling prostrate, Patrick wept profusely, crying aloud, "My newborn children, my newborn children, if only I had died instead of you. My poor children, my poor children." Tears still streaming from his eyes, Patrick knelt down by one of the slain men. He was a young man of about twenty, with reddish-brown hair and green eyes. The scent of myrrh was still on his forehead. Patrick gently cradled the man's head on his lap. "Why, Father, why?" Patrick yelled out to the heavens.
"Why did my newborn children have to die like this?" Patrick moaned at length until he realized that none of the women had been slain. "The women," he cried out, "they've taken the women captive! They'll sell them as slaves! Quick, we must catch up with them before it's too late! Loman, run and find some of the brothers and get a boat!" Loman and some of the other men quickly scurried off to do as Patrick said. "Bring back some writing supplies with you as well!" Patrick yelled.
Patrick and the remaining men then set to work to bury the bodies of the dead Christians. The others returned in a few hours with a boat and some writing materials. Patrick sat down on a nearby boulder, hurriedly wrote out a letter, and sealed it. "Here," he said to Loman, "take this letter with you and sail at once for Britain.
The letter orders the soldiers to immediately release the captives to you and to return the stolen property." Loman took the letter in hand and left at once for Britain, taking a worker from Britain with him. "At least we can save the women and boys," Patrick consoled himself as he watched the small craft disappear on the grey Irish sea.