A new Irishman named Patrick from Nigeria was among a group of pilgrims who prayed at St Patrick’s grave in Downpatrick, Co. Down, to mark his annual feast day.
Patrick Ahaotu said St Patrick is patron of Nigeria and he has always celebrated March 17 as he was taught by Irish priests and the feast was traditionally a free day from school.
He and his wife came from Imo, Nigeria, to Belfast in October, 2023, to work and he decided to go to Downpatrick after hearing about the special prayer service.
He said he did not realise that St Patrick was buried in Downpatrick until the priest at St Anthony’s parish, Fr Henry McCann, mentioned the event.
Around 20 pilgrims gathered at the grave for the third annual prayer service.
St Patrick’s Pilgrim guide Elaine Kelly filmed the event this year after a request from the US Catholic TV network, EWTN.
Iva Berenek, originally from Croatia, but living in Dublin, was also among 20 pilgrims who gathered at dawn. A children’s author, she said she was not brought up as a Christian but when she came to faith, like Patrick, as a teenager, she began to pray for Ireland. “I had a huge desire to come to Ireland,” she said.
Anyone interested in learning more about the prayer initiative can contact Siobhan Brennan on legacyofpatrick@gmail.com.
