St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born on 385 AD in Britain. When he was 16, he was kidnapped and taken prisoner by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland. During his captivity, he prayed to God and had a dream where God told him to leave Ireland. He escaped to Britain and became a priest six years later. Later, an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. When he returned to Ireland, his mission was to teach Christianity to the Irish. To do so he mixed Irish traditions to his lessons. In thirty years, he converted many Christians and built monasteries, churches, and schools. He died on March 17, 460 A.D.
St. Patrick's day is a day to celebrate St. Patrick's actions and Irish culture. It was originally a feast day and later became a celebration of the Irish culture. This celebration was chosen on the 17th of March because it was believed to be on the day of his death. Today, other countries around the world such as Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, Canada and the United States celebrate this day.
People around the world celebrate this day in many ways. The Irish take a day off work to celebrate. Some gather with their family and have a huge dinner. Catholics attend mass and offer prayers to missionaries. People symbolized the Irish culture by wearing green, read folklore, have a parade, eating Irish cuisine, and more.
