The Story of Saint Patrick

Every year on March 17, people wear green, taverns serve up green beer and in some cities, and they even put green dye in rivers and fountains. Do you know what Saint Patrick's Day is all about?

St. Patrick, one of Christianities most well known figures was the patron saint of Ireland. There are many stories associated with St. Patrick such as him banishing all the snakes in Ireland. These are considered by many as just that stories, the product of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

The first St. Patrick's Day Parade actually took place in the United States and not Ireland. On March 17, 1762, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City. The parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish heritage.

As well as being a celebration of Irish culture, Saint Patrick's Day is a Christian festival celebrated in the Catholic Church. The day always falls in the season of Lent. Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and then celebrate in the evening. Lent prohibitions against consuming meat were waived and the people would eat, drink, and dance. The traditional meal was Irish bacon and cabbage.

Therefore, who was St. Patrick? It is known that he was born in Britain to wealthy parents somewhere near the end of the fourth century. It is believed he was kidnapped around the age of sixteen by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking the family's estate. He was sold to a local landowner who put him to work as a shepherd.

Eventually he was released and he studied at the Lerin Monastery, which was on an island of the Cote d' Azor. After finishing his studies, he returned to Britain as a priest. He remained there until one night he had a dream. In the dream, he heard a voice beckon him to convert the Irish to Christianity.

Before he could do this, he continued his studies at the Monastery of Auxerre in France. During his stay, there the monks decided it was time to send a mission to Ireland. Saint Patrick and 25 followers arrived in Ireland in the winter of 432. At around the age of 76 he is believed to have died on March 17 around 460 A.D.