With all the loud and crowded parades, green beer, leprechauns, and kelly-colored costumes, it can be easy to forget that St. Patrick’s Day commemorates a real man, and that the feast of St. Patrick — March 17 — marks the day of his death. In order to fully celebrate Patrick — the saint, the man, and the festivities — with food and crafts, it’s important to know a little about him.
When St. Patrick was only 16, he was kidnapped from his British homeland by Irish raiders, sold as a slave, and forced to work as a shepherd. He eventually escaped due to divine guidance, and later returned to Ireland as an ordained bishop. St. Patrick used a shamrock — the three-leaf variety — to explain the Trinity to the Irish people, using its three leaves to symbolize the concept of three divine persons of God.
St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to put together some festive and fun food as a way to celebrate the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.
