St. Patrick’s Day, feast day (March 17) of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but returned about 432 ce to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. Many legends grew up around him—for example, that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts.
In Patrick's autobiographical Confessio, he writes that when he was about sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Britain and taken as a slave to Ireland. He writes that he lived there for six years as an animal herder before escaping and returning to his family.
Patrick's Day. Believed to be a Celtic charm, four-leaf clovers were used for magical protection from evil spirits and to repel bad luck. The leaves of the clover stands for faith, hope, luck and love. Whoever comes across a four-leaf clover is granted good luck and is protected against any bad luck.
