Here is a surprising fact: St. Patrick was not Irish. He was born in Roman Britain around the year 385. When he was sixteen, Irish raiders kidnapped him and brought him to Ireland as a slave. He spent six years herding sheep before escaping back to Britain. Years later, Patrick chose to return to Ireland as a missionary. He wanted to teach the Irish people about Christianity. He traveled across the country, building churches and schools. Many Irish people followed older traditions at the time, and Patrick worked to blend some of those customs with the new religion. One famous legend says he used a three-leaf clover, called a shamrock, to explain his beliefs. Patrick died on March 17, around the year 461, and the Irish people made that day his feast day. Over the centuries, millions of Irish people moved to other countries, especially the United States. They brought St. Patrick's Day with them. The first St. Patrick's Day parade in America was held in New York City in 1762. Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated around the world, from Chicago, which dyes its river green, to Sydney, Australia, which lights up its Opera House in green.