Happy St. Patrick’s Day (Lá Fhéile Pádraig)!

March 17 is the observance of this Irish holiday, which has transformed to a worldwide secular marketing and merchandising day but which originally began as a Catholic holiday commemorating the life and death of Saint Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland.

Although Saint Patrick was not Irish (he was a Roman-Briton), he devoted the majority of his adult ordained life to converting to– and popularizing– Christianity in Ireland. March 17 is generally accepted at the day of his death, but the exact year remains in question, varying from 420 to 460 to 493 AD. The shamrock, according to legend, is the device by which he explained the Christian Holy Trinity and, thus, plays a major role in the holiday. And, while “blue” was the color traditionally associated with Saint Patrick, green has gradually supplanted it such that, in the modern era, green is seen as the official color for the holiday.

So, while you are enjoying your time at one of many St. Patrick’s Day parades or celebrations around the world, take a bit o’ time to reflect on the man and the legend of Saint Patrick.