Which Catholic saint wrote the Confessions of Saint Patrick in the fifth century?

Saint Patrick wrote the Confession, often called the Confessions of Saint Patrick, in the fifth century. The work is a personal defense of his mission in Ireland and one of the earliest surviving writings associated with him.

Patrick said he was born in Roman Britain and was taken captive to Ireland as a teenager. After several years as a slave, he escaped, returned to Britain, and later came back to Ireland as a Christian missionary. His writing describes his calling and his dependence on divine guidance.

The Confession is not the same as Augustine of Hippo’s Confessions, a much longer theological autobiography. Patrick’s work is comparatively short and focuses on his missionary vocation, opposition, and spiritual experiences.

Many popular stories about Patrick, including the use of the shamrock to explain the Trinity, come from later tradition rather than from the Confession itself. His feast day is observed on 17 March, the date traditionally associated with his death.