St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling. Exaggerated storytelling is, after all, a Celtic tradition older than St. Patrick himself.

It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. Patrick was sixteen years of age when he was taken capture by Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. The young prisoner was brought to Ireland where he worked as a shepherd. It was during this time he turned to his religious beliefs and contemplated converting the Irish people to Christianity.

After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writings, a voice—which he believed to be God's—spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.

While back in Great Britain Patrick heard the voice of an Angel speak to him. This time the voice instructed him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick heeded the Angel's words and spent the next 15 years studying religion before accepting a position to return to Ireland - this time as a Christian missionary to serve existing Christians and convert the Irish, an assignment Patrick was most qualified for.

Rather than ridicule, scorn or iradicate local beliefs and Pagan practices Patrick used his knowledge of the Irish language and culture to incorporate some of their traditional rituals into his lessons of Christianity.

Patrick used bonfires - which the Irish used to honor their gods, to celebrate Easter. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Celtic symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is known as the Celtic cross.

St. Patrick died on March 17, around 460 A.D. His death is memorialized as St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day Parade
The celebration of St. Patrick's Day goes back thousands of years. March 17 is the day of the celebation and feast that marks the anniversary of Patrick's death in the fifth century.

The holiday falls during the Christian season of Lent. Irish families would attend church in the morning, then celebrate in the afternoon with drink and dance. The traditional meal was ... you guessed it, Irish bacon or corned beef and cabbage. <get the recipe>

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but right here in America. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. New York City's St. Patrick Day Parade remains as one the city's busiest holidays.

St. Patrick's Day is now celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

In Ireland, the holiday was traditionally a religious one. Up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. That all changed in 1995, when the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism to Ireland. Now, close to one million people a year come to Ireland to celebrate at Dublin's annual week participate in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin. The annual Irish holiday is now a multi-day celebration that features parades, concerts, green beer, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows.

So the next time you head out to your favorite pub to celebrate the wearin' of the Green, take a moment to thank the humble shepherd named Patrick who through faith and determination made it all possible.

- Richard Roland for Northern New England.com