QUIZ: How much do you know about St. Patrick's Day?
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Great Britain near the end of the fourth century.
At 16 years old, he was taken prisoner by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland where he was held captive. While a prisoner, he turned to Christianity for solace and after the six years, he escaped and made his way back to his family in Britain.
St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke hosts reception honoring 72nd Grand Marshal
Per his own writing, a voice told him to return to Ireland as a missionary, prompting him to become a priest, traveling through Ireland and converting the Irish to Christianity.
Though he is recognized as a saint, St. Patrick was never canonized by the Catholic church.
St. Patrick died on March 17, 461. The popular holiday, celebrated on the same day, has grown into a celebration of Irish culture and legends, like the saint using a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity.
The 72nd annual Holyoke's St. Patrick's Parade is Sunday, March 23rd and can be watched live on 22News and streamed on WWLP.com.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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