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Show ST . PATRICK'S PATRICKS ' DAYIrishmen DAY DAYIrishmen Irishmen Irlshmel1 throughout the world celebrate st stPatrIck's StPatrick's StPatrick's StPatricks PatrIck's PatrIcks ' Day on March 17 , in m honor of the Emerald Emeraldisle's Emeraldisle's EmeraldIsle's EmeraldIsles isle's isles ' patron saint samt , ' ; whose 'ohose ohose ' hose life is surrounded by so somany somany somany many strange traditions and legends that little of ofhist01ical ofhistorical ofhistorical hist01ical historical fact can c.an . be obtained obta111ed concerning concermng ItHe itHe it itHe He is thought to have been born about the year year373 373 , , but his birthplace blrthplace Is is " * ' not known Some say it was wasm wasin wasin m in England , , but claims aie ale are also made by Italy It ly , , Scot Scot- Scotland Scotland Scotland - land and France The first impoitant important Impol tant event e.ent eent . in hist hiscareer his t . . career is said to be l Ills his s capture and sale into slavery slaveryby slaveryby slaveryby by bandits After 51 six " years he escaped and made his hisv.ay hisway hisway v.ay vay way . to Francehele France , \ ; wheie \\hele hele here he found refuge with the theBIShop theBishop theBishop BIShop of ToursHe ToursHe Tours ToursHe He became a monk monh . and returned to Ireland as a aDllSSionary1 amissionary amissionary DllSSionary1 missionary DllSSionary1pursuing , pursuing his labois lab01s labors as such with extra etra- etra etraordinary extra- extra extraordinary extraordinary " { - - ordinary success It is said sald of him that 'he he ' * he found foundIreland foundIreland foundIreland Ireland all heathen and left it all Christian " He died diedabout diedabout diedabout about the year 463Among 463Among 463 463Among Among the popular legends associated ' with 'wIth St StPatrIck StPatrick StPatrick PatrIck l is that he diove dIO\e dIO e drove \ all the snakes snah.es snahes . out of Ireland Irelandand , and many other mnaculous mllaculous feats are ascribed ascr1bed to hIm hImBut himBut himBut But whatever his hlS true history may be be,1 be1 , \ ' the annivers annivers- anniversary anniversary anniversary - ary of this pioneer of Christianity ChnstIamty is 1S still celebratedwith celebratedwith celebrated celebratedwith with enthusiasm enthwI3sm ; after a lapse of fifteen centuries |
