By Madison Moench

A holiday largely associated with green, clovers, luck, the Irish, and a large amount of alcohol, St. Patrick’s Day is quite the festive holiday even if it’s not an official holiday here in the United States. However, what are the origins of such a holiday? Well, this article right here is a brief rundown on the history of such a festive holiday!

In the late 300s a man by the name of Saint Patrick was born. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped by Irish Dál Riata pirates and was forced to work as a shepherd while in captivity. Throughout the 6 years of his captivity, he found faith in God and was told to escape to a nearby port where he soon escaped on a ship.

Since then, he worked as a Christian priest and converted many people before sailing back to Ireland. Soon after returning to Ireland, he became a bishop. He later died in the mid-400s with legends stating that he died on the 17th of March.

More than a millennium later, Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official holiday by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Orthodox Catholic Church, and the Lutheran Church in the 17th century. The holiday is also official in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Montserrat, and the Canadian Province Newfoundland and Labrador for employees of the government.

Even though the United States and many other countries do not officially observe St. Patrick’s Day, it is still quite a fun holiday to celebrate.