| 01 March 2007
Have you ever wondered where the tradition of using shamrocks as a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day came from?St. Patrick was born in about 389 A.D. in Northern Wales. He was captured at the age of 16 by pirates who brought him to Ireland. During his 6 years of slavery he became a devout Christian. He eventually escaped to France, where he became a monk. In 432, he returned to Ireland as a missionary bishop. He founded the Christian Church of Ireland, blending old Irish rites with Christian customs.
His most famous feat is forcing the snakes out of Ireland, although this is likely to be a myth.
Patrick would travel around to talk about his faith. Several members of a tribe once approached Patrick telling him it was difficult to understand the Holy Trinity. Patrick picked one of the wild shamrocks. "Here are three leaves," he said, "yet it is one plant. Imagine the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as each of these leaves. Here they are, yet they are one plant." The tribesmen understood, and Patrick adopted this method to explain the Holy Trinity in the years to follow. From that time on, the shamrock has been a revered symbol of Ireland.
St. Patrick died in 461 AD. Depending on which story you read, he was either born on or died on March 17, and people began to commemorate him on that date. What originally began as a religious feast celebrated in Ireland, has become a secular holiday celebrating everything Irish all around the world. It's interesting to note that the shamrock clover flowers around this time.
The most common way people celebrate is by wearing green, or adorning themselves with other symbols such as the shamrock.