← Back to Sacred Calendar
☘️
St. Patrick's Day
The feast of Ireland's patron saint — missionary, bishop, and apostle of the Irish.
March 17
Why It Matters
St. Patrick's Day honors the death of Saint Patrick (c. 385-461 CE), the patron saint of Ireland, credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. He famously used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity.
How It Is Observed
Church services, wearing green, parades worldwide (New York, Dublin, Chicago), in Ireland a national holiday. The Lenten fast is traditionally lifted for the day.
Sacred Text
“I, Patrick, a sinner... owe it to God's grace that so many peoples through me should be born again to God.”
— Confessio of St. Patrick ↗