While St. Patrick’s Day is now associated with wearing green, parades (when they're not canceled) and beer, the holiday is grounded in history that dates back more than 1,500 years. The earliest known celebrations were held in the 17th century on March 17, marking the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick in the 5th century. Learn more about the holiday’s history and how it evolved into the event it is today.
1. The Real St. Patrick Was Born in Britain
The History of St. Patrick's Day
Much of what is known about St. Patrick's life has been interwoven with folklore and legend. Historians generally believe that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Britain (not Ireland) near the end of the 4th century. At age 16 he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold as a slave to a Celtic priest in the area now known as Northern Ireland. After toiling for six years as a shepherd, he escaped back to Britain. He eventually returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary.
2. St. Patrick Was Never Canonized
Despite his status as a patron saint, St. Patrick was never
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7 Facts about Saint Patrick You Might Not Know
Every year, on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in earnest all over the world. Although the holiday has become synonymous with wearing green and downing pints of Guinness among other libations, there’s much more to it. The festivities surrounding the holiday honor the life and teachings of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint who is believed to have been born as Maewyn Succat and later adopted the moniker by which he’s known today.
Read His Biography
But what exactly is Patrick’s story and how do we separate the fact from fiction when it comes to the traditions and religious symbols he inspired hundreds of years ago? Here are seven lesser-known facts about the national apostle of Ireland.
Saint Patrick wasn’t Irish
The biggest misconception about Saint Patrick was that he was Irish. Born in England circa 385 AD, Saint Patrick didn’t make his way to Ireland until Irish pirates kidnapped him at age 16 and sold him into slavery. Later, he dedicated his life to converting the Irish to Christianity.
He taught himself •
A vintage stamp showing St Patrick with snakes beneath his feet. Photo: iStock
March 17 is among the biggest festivals on the island of Ireland (divided into British Northern Ireland and the independent Republic of Ireland).
It is also a big day of celebration among Irish émigré communities from Canada to Patagonia and from the United States to New Zealand.
The day is the feast day of Patrick, the saint who brought Christianity to Ireland over 1,500 years ago. He was not an Irishman to start with but hailed from a location identified by most scholars as being on the Anglo-Welsh border, near the modern-day English city of Bristol.
Born into a wealthy Christian family, Patrick was kidnapped at a young age and sold into slavery by Irish slavers who roamed both coasts of the Irish Sea that separates the islands of Britain and Ireland. He spent several years herding sheep in the far west of Ireland, before making his way home to Britain.
But there, he had a vision, commanding him to go back to Ireland and evangelise the natives who still followed the native Irish