My feast day — St Patrick’s Day! — used to be a pretty simple one. People would sleep in a tad, head off to church for a special Mass, and then have a big dinner at home with special food and drink.
Since the eighteenth century, however, St. Patrick’s Day has become an important celebration of Ireland’s nationhood and so is now celebrated with parades commemorating not just me, but by the Irish all over the world.
My life began long, long ago – before I became known as St Patrick! But I managed a most adventerous life. I lived in three countries, travelled Europe, was kidnapped twice, sold into slavery, beaten up a lot, fought with kings and Druids, and some say even worked miracles. At least in the end I became known as St Patrick.
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh! A St. Patrick’s Day Blessing upon You! (And learn more about how to say Happy St Patrick’s Day in Irish).
I will tell you a quick truth about my day. St Patrick’s Day falls on March 17th each year.
Dia dhuit! Céad míle fáilte romhat! Mise Pádraig. A hundred thousand welcomes now to you! My name is Padraig, or Patrick they probably say where you come from.
Every year people remember me on March 17th – St Patrick’s Day! – and because I worked in Ireland with the Irish this day has become special for Irish people everywhere. But today many have forgotten facts about me; the man, St Patrick, which is how all of this started. So this website of facts about Saint Patrick is to help you learn just a little bit about me, and maybe to tell your friends too!
“I am Patrick, the sinner; the simplest of my countrymen and the least of all the faithful…” That’s how I started my autobiography which I called “The Confession.” It’s not about my sins really, so much as my life and my faith. But you really should read it, especially for my special day, St. Patrick’s Day, because it gives you a good sense of who I am and what I am all about.