St. Patrick's Day

1. Who was St. Patrick?
2. What is the purpose of St. Patrick's Day?
3. Why is St. Patrick's Day designated when it is?
4. Why a certain color on St. Patrick's Day?
5. Other information of interest

Answers:

1. It is believed that he was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. According to the Declaration, at the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. It says that he spent six years there working as a shepherd and that during this time he "found God". The Declaration says that God told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home. After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest.
2.  St. Patrick's Day celebrates the Roman Catholic feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.
3.  St. Patrick died on March 17, 461
4. On St. Patrick's Day it is customary to wear shamrocks and/or green clothing or accessories( the "wearing of green") St. Patrick is to have used the shamrock, a three leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish
5. St. Patrick's Day is the day that he died, not the day the he was born.