St. Patrick's Day  

1. Who was St. Patrick? He was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, along with saints Brigit of Kildare and Columba.  

2. What is the purpose of St. Patrick's Day? St. Patrick's day celebrates the Roman Catholic feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.  

3. Why is St. Patrick's Day designated when it is? It is celebrated on March 17 because it is the day that St. Patrick died.  

   4. Why a certain color on St. Patrick's Day? Green is one of the colors in Ireland's tri-color flag.        Green is also the color of spring, the shamrock, and the Chicago River, which the mid-western city  has dyed green on St. Patrick day's for the past 40-odd years.