St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on March 17th, is a secular holiday of revelry and celebration of all things Irish. The story behind St. Patrick’s day is of a man named St. Patrick, who was born in Roman-occupied Britain during the 4th-century. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped, taken to Ireland, and enslaved. After escaping his bondage, he began spreading Christianity throughout Ireland. St. Patrick was able to establish many churches, monasteries, and religious schools in Ireland before his death on March 17, 461 CE. As a result of his efforts, Ireland began celebrating his life with religious services and feasts. Eventually, Irish emigrants transformed St. Patrick's day into an international holiday, by getting it established as official holidays in countries such as the USA. Now Irish and non-Irish communities, alike, commonly participate in wearing green clothing or items on March 17th in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Fun fact: Blue was the original color associated with St. Patrick, but eventually green took its place due to the Irish national plant, the Lapel.
