Irish eyes are smiling

Just who is St. Patrick?

Irish eyes are smiling

We all know of St. Patrick but do we actually know the story behind him? As the Irish among us prepare to celebrate St. Patrick Day on Sunday, let’s take a look at who he is.

St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents. Patrick didn’t quite come from religious parents. At the age of 16, Patrick was taken captive by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family’s estate.

They kept him prisoner for six years and had transferred him to Ireland. It is not well known where exactly he was kept captive but it’s more likely it took place in Ireland.

Patrick remained working as a shepherd, outside and away from people. He was alone so he turned to his religious as solace, and became a devoted christian.

It’s said that a voice came to him in his sleep, urging him to escape. After he reunited with his family, Patrick studied to become a priest. He spent the remainder of his life as a missionary in Ireland.

St. Patrick is known for using three leaves of a shamrock to explain the holy trinity and banishing snakes from Ireland. Although there’s no evidence that supports their existence on the island. St patricks day was only a small  holiday in Ireland until the 1970s.

This holiday has been celebrated in the U.S since the Revolutionary War.To this day, this holiday is celebrated big and with very enjoyable parades.

In Indianapolis, the St. Patrick Day parade will be Friday through the streets of downtown.