Facts about St. Patrick

• Patrick’s real name was Maewyn Succat. He changed his name to Patricius (Patrick), after he became a priest.
• March 17 marks the day of his death and was intended as a day of renewal.
• Patrick was abducted from Wales or Scotland and then taken as a slave to Northern Ireland.
• After returning to his homeland, he had a vision to return to Ireland to spread the word of Christianity. He remained there the rest of his life.
• The first St. Patrick’s day parade was in Boston in 1737.
• Tradition states that he chased all of the snakes from Ireland. Realistically, there were probably no snakes there in the first place.
• Wearing green did not become a tradition until the 19th century. Before that, blue was the most common color associated with St. Patrick.