St Patrick's Day: Everything you need to know
What is St Patrick's Day?
- Published
Millions of people around the world celebrate St Patrick's Day on 17 March every year.
It is a celebration of Irish history and culture, and is a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
Read on to find out more about this festival.
Who was Saint Patrick?
A statue of St Patrick stands proudly in front of Croagh Patrick - a mountain in County Mayo, Ireland.
St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is celebrated for bringing Christianity to the country.
He is thought to have grown up in Britain, during Roman times, but was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave.
Once he was free again, he trained as a priest, and went back to Ireland to convert thousands of people to Christianity.
The dates of Patrick's life cannot be fixed with certainty, but sometime after 431 AD, Patrick was appointed as successor to St Palladius, the first bishop of Ireland.
A shamrock is a type of clover and the symbol of St Patrick
Patrick established his headquarters at Armagh. Tradition credits him with being the first bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland.
He is traditionally associated with the shamrock, a type of clover and is often pictured holding one.
The shamrock: Did you know?
The three-leaved plant, symbolic of Ireland and of St Patrick's Day has an important meaning for Christians.
It is said to represent the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The three leaves of a shamrock are also said to stand for faith, hope and love.
A fourth leaf is said to be where we get the luck from - you may have heard of 'lucky clover'.
Did Saint Patrick drive the snakes out of Ireland?
This is one of the famous legends around St Patrick but the chances are it didn't happen, because it's unlikely there ever were any snakes in Ireland.
The snake may be a reference to a serpent - a symbol of evil, and the driving out a reference to Patrick's mission to rid Ireland of pagan - or non-Christian religious - influence.
What happens on Saint Patrick's Day?
These children won't let a bit of rain dampen their festivities!
Saint Patrick's Day started as a religious feast to celebrate the work of Saint Patrick, but it has grown to be an international festival celebrating all things Irish.
People take part in parades and dancing, eat Irish food, and enjoy huge firework displays.
The day is also famous around the world for people wearing shamrocks, dressing up as bearded Irish fairies called leprechauns, and wearing all green.
Leprechauns are supernatural beings made popular in folk stories. They are said to bring good luck to humans, protecting them from harm and tampering with their plans to lead them down luckier paths.
Dublin's famous St Patrick's Parade often features bands from around the world.
Parades
Many young people take part in parades across Ireland and beyond
This year, many parades are happening the day before St Patrick's Day.
London's community will celebrate St Patrick's Day Festival on Sunday, 16 March, with a parade including performances by marching bands, sports clubs and Irish dancing schools.
More than 50,000 people are estimated to join to admire Irish dancing, food and music.
However, St Patrick's Day is a public holiday in Ireland and Northern Ireland so parade there will be on Monday.
In New York City, parade organisers say 150,000 people are expected to take part in their parade, with more than two million people watching.
Sometimes buildings around the world turn green for the occasion...
A focal point along the River Thames, the London Eye often turns green for St Patrick's Day.
Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, London helps the Irish community in the English capital get into the spirit
The iconic Empire State Building in New York is lit up in emerald green for the occasion, USA
In the US city of Chicago they even dye the river green
How will you be celebrating St Patrick's Day? Let us know in the comments below!