Did you know roughly 40 million Americans trace their heritage back to Ireland?

And on Wednesday, March 17th, those 40 million, along with millions of others around the world, will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.

Photo Credit: cobalt123 on Flickr.com

But who is Saint Patrick and why do we celebrate him?

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He is believed to have been born in Britain toward the end of the fourth century. Stories also claim he died on March 17th, 460 A.D.

Before becoming a priest, Saint Patrick believed he heard the voice of God in a dream, telling him to go to Ireland to become a missionary. After being ordained, he went to Ireland to minster current Christians while also converting non-Christians.

It is also believed that Saint Patrick was the creator of the Celtic cross. According to History.com, Saint Patrick “superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish.”

Although the island of Ireland does not have snakes, stories of Saint Patrick famously banishing snakes from Ireland claim to be false. According to sources like National Geographic, Ireland has never had snakes.

What other stories to you know about Saint Patrick? How will you be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in your classroom?