St Patrick Himself

Down Cathedral, St Patrick’s final resting place, is flanked by a Celtic Cross.
Though impossible to prove beyond a doubt, it has long be reputed that Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, Co Down houses the remains of St Patrick himself – thus the most important of the relics of St Patrick. As the patron saint’s death in 461 predates Down Cathedral (consecrated 1183) by more than 700 years, his true gravesite is buried somewhere underneath the present massive cathedral. Instead, his grave is commemorated by a locally-sourced Mourne granite marker, erected in 1900. Because of this, Down Cathedral remains a popular place for pilgrims as well as a way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day at the source!