The person who was to become
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD  385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the
job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship.
Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan.
At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that
raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God.
He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he
studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period
of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was
to convert the pagans to Christianity.
His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to
Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two
years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted
that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to
Ireland.
 Patrick was quite successful at winning converts.
And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times,
but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing
monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which
would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity.
His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time,
Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day
has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.
Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is
actually substantiated.
Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from
the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove
all the snakes from Ireland. Of course, no snakes were ever native to
Ireland, and some people think this is a metaphor for the conversion of
the pagans. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has
evolved into more of a secular holiday.
One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a
more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed
shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent
how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate
elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a
shamrock on his feast day.
The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the
first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in
Boston.
It was in Boston where the Day was first celebrated in a public way.
Gradually other states took it up. And it was New York that took out the
largest ever St Patrick' s Day parade. Held since 1762, the New York City
parade on St Patrick's Day draws more than one million spectators each
year.
Meanwhile the city of Chicago has developed a unique tradition of
coloring the river water green. It started in 1962 when 100 pounds of
green vegetable dye were added to its river, enough to keep it green for a
week. The tradition has continued till date. Now, 40 pounds of a green
food coloring keep the river green for only a few hours.
These apart Irish community in various cities celebrate the Day with
social and community works. Making charities, attending mass, promoting
their own culture, and feasting with their
foods. | 
