What is St. Patrick's Day?
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th, the feast of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
Saint Patrick was a missionary to Ireland in the A.D. 400's who converted the Irish to Christianity. St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday in Ireland. It is also celebrated outside of Ireland in cities with a large number of people of Irish descent.
In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is primarily a religious holiday. People honor Saint Patrick by attending special religious services. According to the legend, Saint Patrick used a shamrock to explain the idea of Trinity to the Irish.
In the United States, St. Patrick's Day is primarily a nonreligious holiday. Many people wear green clothing, and they hold parties in march in parades. The first St. Patrick's Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston in 1737. Today, more than 100 cities hold parades. The St, Patrick's Day parade in New York is the largest.