St Patrick's Day: Ireland's patron saint celebrated with an Irish jig Google Doodle
St Patrick's Day is being celebrated in Ireland and around the world - but what do we actually know about the country's patron saint?
Google
Google has a spring in its step today with an Irish jig Google Doodle to mark St Patrick's Day.Thousands will take to the green-painted streets of Ireland to celebrate the country's patron saint, with music, drinking and dancing.Revellers are expected to pack into the centre of Dublin for the annual parade.The country's leading pageant companies and some of the biggest marching bands from around the world will snake through the streets creating a colourful spectacle with floats, dancers and performance artists.But the Emerland Isle will not be the only place celebrating - the rest of the world has joined in the festivities by going green.The London Eye, Glasgow’s ‘Armadillo’ and Liverpool FC’s home, Anfield, are just some of the British sites illuminated for March 17.From mainland Europe and North America to Australasia, via Africa, the Middle East and Asia, an epic ‘ global greening ’ will see 40 of the world’s most iconic structures and attractions adopt the emerald hue.Little is known about Ireland's apostle, who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.The only generally accepted details of his life come from two authentic surviving letters from him - the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish Christians.Patrick was born into a wealthy family in Roman Britain in the fourth century - his father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest.He was kidnapped and taken as a slave to Ireland aged 16, where he was held for six years before escaping and returning to his family and studying to become a priest.Patrick returned to Ireland in 432 as an ordained bishop to teach the polytheistic Irish people about Christianity.Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.St Patrick died on March 17, 461, and according to tradition, was buried at Downpatrick. His feast day has since been celebrated on the day of his death.
St Patrick's Day is being celebrated in Ireland and around the world - but what do we actually know about the country's patron saint?
Google has a spring in its step today with an Irish jig Google Doodle to mark St Patrick's Day.Thousands will take to the green-painted streets of Ireland to celebrate the country's patron saint, with music, drinking and dancing.Revellers are expected to pack into the centre of Dublin for the annual parade.The country's leading pageant companies and some of the biggest marching bands from around the world will snake through the streets creating a colourful spectacle with floats, dancers and performance artists.But the Emerland Isle will not be the only place celebrating - the rest of the world has joined in the festivities by going green.The London Eye, Glasgow’s ‘Armadillo’ and Liverpool FC’s home, Anfield, are just some of the British sites illuminated for March 17.From mainland Europe and North America to Australasia, via Africa, the Middle East and Asia, an epic ‘ global greening ’ will see 40 of the world’s most iconic structures and attractions adopt the emerald hue.Little is known about Ireland's apostle, who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.The only generally accepted details of his life come from two authentic surviving letters from him - the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish Christians.Patrick was born into a wealthy family in Roman Britain in the fourth century - his father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest.He was kidnapped and taken as a slave to Ireland aged 16, where he was held for six years before escaping and returning to his family and studying to become a priest.Patrick returned to Ireland in 432 as an ordained bishop to teach the polytheistic Irish people about Christianity.Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.St Patrick died on March 17, 461, and according to tradition, was buried at Downpatrick. His feast day has since been celebrated on the day of his death.