St. Patrick's Purgatory is an ancient pilgrimage that has taken place on Saint Island and Station Island in Lough Derg, County Donegal, Ireland. The traditional date of the origin of the pilgrimage is from 445, when Saint Patrick visited the lake. A pilgrimage is a journey by a religious person to a place that is sacred according to his or her religion. ... Lough Derg (Loch Dearg in Irish, ) is a small lake in County Donegal, Ireland. ... For other uses, see Donegal (disambiguation) Donegal ( Irish: Dún na nGall) is a county in the northwest of Ireland. ... Events Attila murders his brother and co-king Bleda. ... Statue of Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (died March 17, 462, 492, or 493), is the patron saint of Ireland. ...

Today St. Patrick's Purgatory takes place on Station Island from from June 1 until August 15 every year. Pilgrims fast (being allowed only one meal a day, of black tea or coffee and dry toast), pray all-night vigils, and make barefoot circuits around the stone remains of monks' cells (nicknamed beds) during their 3-day stay. June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... Fasting is the act of willingly abstaining from all food and in some cases drink, or in other cases from certain types or groups of food (e. ... A vigil (from the Latin vigilia, wakefulness) is a period of sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching or observance. ...

A detailed, but somewhat unconventional, account of today's pilgrimage is contained in McCarthy's Bar (ISBN 0312311338) by Pete McCarthy. Pete McCarthy (November 9, 1952 - October 6, 2004) was a British broadcaster and travel writer. ...

External link

• Catholic Encyclopedia - St. Patrick's Purgatory (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12580a.htm)
• Free eBook of The Purgatory of St. Patrick (http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6371) at Project Gutenberg