St. Patrick was born in Britain near the end of the fourth century.
At the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped and taken as a prisoner by Irish raiders. This was the beginning of Patrick’s religious journey.
Patrick spent six years in captivity and turned to religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian.
At the end of his captivity, Patrick heard a voice telling him to escape, making him travel 200 miles until he reached the Irish coast were he boarded a ship that would bring him to Britain.
According to Patrick’s writings, a second revelation then occurred. An angel told the saint to return to Ireland as a missionary. After his ordination as a priest, Patrick returned to Ireland were he served as a minister to Christians living in Ireland.
The story of him driving snakes out of Ireland is a myth.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, the day that the saint died, by the Roman Catholic Church. In Ireland, the day has a more solemn and holy tone.
The shamrock was used by St. Patrick to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity, the three beings who make up one divine God.
The first St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in New York in 1762 by Irish soldiers serving the English military.
