Six Years a Slave: The Confessio of St Patrick as Early Christian Slave Narrative

Abstract

This article interprets St Patrick’s Confessio, supplemented by his Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus, in the light of North American slave narratives, arguing that Patrick’s account of his enslavement in Ireland shares many of the characteristics of North American slave narratives identified by James Olney. In addition, Patrick’s account of his conversion shares all of the characteristics of North American slave conversions discussed by Albert J. Raboteau. As such, although not intended as such, Patrick’s confession can be described as the only extant example of an early Christian slave narrative, which makes it of great significance for the study of slavery in early Christianity.