Here we are, another holiday that people will celebrate with mirth and merriment. Like many holidays, people celebrate, but don't really know the facts behind the event.

It's the same way with St. Patrick's Day. People have often wondered about the man of whom the holiday is named after. You just might be surprised that he may not be who you think he was.

Here are 5 facts about the man, St. Patrick, that boggled my mind and I would image will boggle yours also, if you didn't know already.

  1. March 17th - This is the day the saint actually passed away. St. Patrick, who was Catholic, went out into eternity on March 17th, 461 A.D.
  2. Not An Irishman - That's right! St. Patrick was not an Irishman. Actually, he wasn't even born in the land of green. According to scholars, he was born in 385 A.D. in, what is now know as, England or the Scotland area.
  3. The Shamrock - Because St. Patrick was a preacher, he would use the shamrock as a visual aid to teach people the trinity of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
  4. Blue, Not Green - St. Patrick's color was blue and not green. Many of older artist depiction of the saint, shows him adorned in blue vestments, rather than green. King Henry VIII fabricated the Irish Harp in gold on a blue flag for Ireland.
  5. Green Beer? - It wasn't until 1970 that the country of Ireland allowed beer. Up until then, it was a dry country. Also, it's been reported that there are 34 million Americans, with Irish roots, which is more than those in Ireland itself.

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