St. Patrick’s St. Patrick’s DayDay

Who was St. Patrick?Who was St. Patrick? St. Patrick, the patron saint of

Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely

known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery.

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.

History of the holiday

• St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years.

St. Patrick’s Day SymbolsSt. Patrick’s Day Symbols

The Celtic Cross – a sun

(from the Celts) super-imposed

on a cross (from the Christians)

The shamrock, or “seamroy,” symbolizes the rebirth of spring. It was later adopted as a symbol of Irish nationalism. The leprechaun,

or “lobaircin” was a cranky, “small-bodied fellow” of Celtic folklore, given its “cute” features and popularized in the United States by Walt Disney.

St. Patrick’s Day SymbolsSt. Patrick’s Day Symbols

Music has always been an important part of Irish life.

St. Patrick never drove snakes from Ireland; the story is a metaphor for driving paganism from the island.

The traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage has been modified in the United States. Irish bacon has been replaced with corned beef for the annual feast.

Don’t miss it next year!!

Enjoy the following Quiz!!!• http://www.history.com/

content/stpatricksday/all-things-irish-quiz

• http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/history-of-ireland-quiz