A Happy St. Patrick's Day to You!

Okay the day is almost over, but the day isn't quite over, so I can and will say to all (from th 1/8th of me that's Irish -- I hope yours was a Happy St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick is well connected to the Irish -- though he was British not Irish by birth. He was, however, a 5th century missionary that spread the Christian faith throughout the Emerald Island -- and therein lies his fame. This day is celebrated because it is believed that he died on this day in 460 CE.

Here is a bit about his ministry from the History Channel Website:

Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. (Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick's life became exaggerated over the centuries-spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life.)