By M.J. Roberts

Staff writer

St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching and everyone knows that they are supposed to wear something green or they may get a pinch from some of their buddies, but where did the tradition of wearing green come from anyway?

St. Patrick was born in Great Britian to a Christian family and was named Malwyn around the year 380.

He was kidnapped as a young lad, taken to Ireland and forced to tend sheep. Six years later he escaped and returned to Britian. Upon his return, he realized that he wanted to teach the people of Ireland about God.

 He went to France to study religion and went on to became a bishop.  The Pope named him Patricus, the Latin name for Patrick. After becoming a bishop he returned to Ireland where he began preaching and building churches and schools. Patrick spent the rest of his life caring for the Irish people .

Patrick is honored on March 17, the day of his death in 461. The Catholic Church proclaimed him a saint for his good deeds in Ireland.

Wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is to honor Ireland also called “The Emerald Isle.”

St. Patrick used the shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Shamrocks have three leaves on one stem. It is a symbol of Saint Patrick and Ireland.

On March 17, 1870, New Yorkers held a huge St. Patrick’s Day parade and now there are parades and celebrations all over our country.

Everyone, it seems, has a little Irish in them on St. Patrick’s  Day.

Will you be wearing green?