Letter against the Soldiers of Coroticus (2)

On the day after the catechumens, wearing their white robes, had been anointed (the oil shone on their brows as they were cut down and slaughtered by the swords of those I have mentioned). I sent a holy priest whom I had taught from childhood, together with some clerics, with a letter requesting that they return some of the loot and the baptized captives to us. They laughed aloud at them.

On this account I do not know whom I should lament more, those who were killed or captured, or those whom Satan has so thoroughly ensnared. For they will be consigned along with him to the eternal pains of hell, since he who commits sin is a slave and will be known as a son of Satan.

Tranlsation Liam De Paor, St. Patrick’s World

Patrick is angry, and his letter reflects it. New Christians, men and women who had entrusted themselves to the care of the Church, and to Patrick’s own care, had been cut down while they were still wearing their baptismal robes and the oil of baptism (evidently applied with water) was dripping from their heads. Those who were not killed were carried off into captivity by Picts, soldiers under the command of one Coroticus, who were now on their way back to Scotland.

Upon hearing the news, Patrick was stunned and heartsick, both for those who had been martyred and for those who had murdered them. Apparently the soldiers of Coroticus had some kind of Christian confession, which is doubtless how they could have so easily ingratiated themselves, as foreigners, with this congregation of the Lord’s people. It grieved Patrick that his flock had been savaged; but it grieved him as well to know that these “confessors” had put themselves in danger of hell.

It is instructive for us to see that Patrick did not shy away from talking about ultimate condemnation for those who had so egregiously betrayed their profession of faith. He knew what power lay back of all this, and it wasn’t just Coroticus or whoever was in charge of this vile deed. Satan had motivated this, having taken captive the hearts of these soldiers.

Patrick made an attempt to get the captives released, but the soldiers of Coroticus laughed out loud at his emissaries, thus confirming that they were beyond repentance and closed to reason, persuasion, or pity. They may have been soldiers of Coroticus, but they were slaves to the devil.

But, as we shall see, Patrick would continue to hold out hope that his letter of excommunication may yet lead at least some of this horde to repent.

He is a true shepherd who, like Patrick, grieves with sorrow for the saved and the lost alike, and who wields the two-edged sword of edification and judgment (Ps. 149.5-9).

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