Introducing Christianity to Ireland in the year 432.

Paddy!! It comes from the original name Pádraig.

Green!

But the 5th-century saint's official color was "Saint Patrick's blue," a light shade of sky blue. The color green only became associated with the big day after it was linked to the Irish independence movement in the late 18th century.

Patrick wasn't Irish himself. He was born to Roman parents in Scotland or Wales in the late 4th century.

Chicago

According to Irish legend, the saint used the three-leafed plant (which is not to be confused with the four-leaf clover) as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity when he was first introducing Christianity to Ireland.

March 17 is the anniversary of St. Patrick's death in 461.

13 million!

New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade is one of the world's largest parades. Since 1762, roughly 250,000 marchers have traipsed up 5th Avenue on foot—the parade still doesn't allow floats, cars, or other modern trappings.

According to Irish legend, St. Patrick wasn't originally called Patrick. His birth name was Maewyn Succat, but he changed it to Patricius after becoming a priest.

3 wishes! But be careful, making the wrong wish could result in a lifetime of bad luck

1970's! Up until the 1970s, pubs were closed on that day. (The one exception went to beer vendors at the big national dog show, which was always held on St. Patrick's Day.) Before that time, the saint's feast day was considered a more solemn, strictly religious occasion.

Snakes! But this is a lie because science tells us there were never snakes in Ireland. What's next, God isn't real?

Corned beef and cabbage
Shepherd's pie
Irish soda bread.

Don’t be fooled by any holiday decorations showing lady leprechauns. In traditional Irish folk tales, there are no female leprechauns, only nattily attired little guys who spend their days making and mending shoes (meaning they earned that gold they're always guarding).