St. Patrick's Day

Who was St. Patrick?

Saint Patrick is a Christian figure, known for bringing his religion to the people of Ireland.  While there certainly were Christians in Ireland before his time, he converted a vast number of followers and helped make the religion more accessible and understandable to the mostly pagan population of the island.

St. Patrick was born in Wales, the son of a Christian Deacon.  He was only sixteen when invading raiders captured the boy and took him as a slave to Ireland.  For six years, Patrick wandered the hillsides as a shepard, alone with his flock of sheep.  It was during these lonely days that Patrick embraced religion wholeheartedly, and when he eventually escaped the island he began to dedicate his life to his faith, spending years studying within the Church. 

History holds that Patrick heard the voice of God, commanding him to return to Ireland and spread Christianity.  Many stories claim that St. Patrick performed incredible feats, such as banishing all snakes from Ireland.  While these stories may not be true, the priest's influence has affected the island to this day, where now the majority of the population are Christian followers.

Celebrations

Originally March 17th was set aside as a day of feasting in honour of Patrick's death, which occured on this day.  While some people still do celebrate the religious aspects of the day with prayer and pilgrimage, to the majority of people Saint Patrick's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the Irish heritage and to keep in touch with their ancestry.  Parades, celebrations, feasts and beer are enjoyed by everyone as a show of support for the Irish people and their past.