Saul Church is an Irish church in County Down, Northern Ireland. A charming replica of an ancient church once occupied by the legendary Saint Patrick, patron saint of the Irish! It is here that the saint is said to have celebrated his masses and lived until the end of his days. The current church and its adjoining round tower are faithful replicas of the old building, which has not stood the test of time.
The story of Saul Church is rather unique. While Saint Patrick was criss-crossing Ireland to convert the population to Christianity, he met a local clan chief named Dichu.
The latter was so fascinated by the Saint’s discourse, that he eventually embraced the religion and decided to donate a barn to him (a“Sabhall” in Irish Gaelic, from which we get the Anglicized word Saul).
The Saul Church was born. Saint Patrick accepted the building as a place to live and hold his religious services. He died there many years later, on March 17, 461.
The barn, converted into an official church, lasted more than 3 centuries after the saint’s death. Nevertheless, it was pillaged and burned by the Vikings.
It wasn’t until the 12th century that Saul Church was refounded as an Augustinian priory. Nevertheless, the present building was constructed in 1788, to commemorate the 1500th anniversary of Saint Patrick’s landing in Ireland.
Since then, the church has remained in use, and is open to the public. A major pilgrimage site, Church Saul is as much a religious edifice as it is a tourist attraction, so there’s no problem getting in just to see it!
Don’t hesitate to drop in for a visit: the setting is pleasant and bucolic, lost in the heart of the Irish countryside! A landmark of Irish history!
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3.50/5 (6 votes)
