Cathoilc Church Daily Reading for Thursday, August 17th, 2017

Cathoilc Church Daily Reading for Thursday, August 17th, 2017

  17:19    Catholic Channels

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First Reading , Joshua 3:7-10, 11, 13-17
7 Yahweh said to Joshua, 'This very day, I shall begin to make you great in the eyes of all Israel so that they will know that, as I was with Moses, so I shall be with you.

8 Now, give this order to the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, "When you have reached the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you must halt in the Jordan itself." '

9 To the Israelites, Joshua then said, 'Come closer and hear the words of Yahweh your God.'

10 Joshua said, 'By this, you are to know that the living God is with you and without a doubt will expel the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites before you.

11 Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth is about to move into the Jordan at your head.

13 As soon as the priests carrying the ark of Yahweh, Lord of the whole earth, have set the soles of their feet in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off; the upper waters flowing down will stop as a single mass.'

14 Accordingly, when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.

15 As soon as the bearers of the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the waters -- the Jordan is in spate throughout the harvest season-

16 the upper waters stood still and formed a single mass over a great distance, at Adam, the town near Zarethan, while those flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely separated. The people crossed opposite Jericho.

17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in mid-Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until the whole nation had completed its crossing of the Jordan.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
1 Alleluia! When Israel came out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a people of foreign speech,

2 Judah became his sanctuary, and Israel his domain.

3 The sea fled at the sight, the Jordan turned back,

4 the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like sheep.

5 Sea, what makes you flee? Jordan, why turn back?

6 Why skip like rams, you mountains? Why like sheep, you hills?


Gospel, Matthew 18:21--19:1
21 Then Peter went up to him and said, 'Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?'

22 Jesus answered, 'Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

23 'And so the kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants.

24 When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents;

25 he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt.

26 At this, the servant threw himself down at his master's feet, with the words, "Be patient with me and I will pay the whole sum."

27 And the servant's master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt.

28 Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him, saying, "Pay what you owe me."

29 His fellow-servant fell at his feet and appealed to him, saying, "Be patient with me and I will pay you."

30 But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt.

31 His fellow-servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him.

32 Then the master sent for the man and said to him, "You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me.

33 Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?"

34 And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt.

35 And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.'

1 Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and he left Galilee and came into the territory of Judaea on the far side of the Jordan.

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SCRIPTURAL REASONS WHY CATHOLIC CHURCH ACKNOWLEDGE MARY'S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

SCRIPTURAL REASONS WHY CATHOLIC CHURCH ACKNOWLEDGE MARY'S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

  10:37    Catholic Channels

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SCRIPTURAL REASONS WHY CATHOLIC CHURCH ACKNOWLEDGE MARY'S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

"And the angel came in unto her, and said, hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." - Luke 1:28
It is the term "full of grace" that is emphasized by the Church when dealing with Mary's Immaculate Conception. The title "full of grace" comes from the Greek word kecharitomene, which describes a "perfection" and "abundance" of grace. In other words, Mary was proclaimed by the angel to be with a perfection of grace, which was a very powerful statement. How can Mary be completely and perfectly with God's grace, yet still have sin left in her? Christians eventually came to recognize that it was extremely possible for Mary to be without sin, especially if she was completely filled with God's grace. Luke 1:28 happens to be the only place in the Bible where anyone is addressed with the important title of "full of grace."

"the Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God." - Luke 1:35
Luke 1:35 shows Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant. According to the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was the pure and holy vessel that held the Ten Commandments (the Old Covenant). The Ark was so holy in fact, that if anyone where to touch it they could actually fall down and die! It was housed in the Holy of Holies, which was a perfectly clean place where the Jewish high priests could enter only once a year according to their law (See Lev. 16:2-4). So how are Mary and the Ark related? The same language that describes God's "dwelling" place for the Old Ark is used again for Mary's overshadowing by the Holy Spirit. Put another way, the Old Ark held God's Ten Commandments and could not be touched by human hands because of its holiness. Mary, the New Ark, holds the New Covenant in her womb, which is Jesus Christ. How much holier is Christ than the Ten Commandments? It only makes sense that for Mary to hold God in her womb, she too would be completely pure and without any sin.

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed (offspring) and hers; He (she) will crush your head while you strike at his (her) heel." - Genesis 3:15
What does the book of Genesis have to do with Mary's Immaculate Conception? Genesis 3:15 is the first passage in the Bible that refers to Jesus defeating Satan on the cross. It is also the first verse that shows us how Mary would become the New Eve. The seed of the woman, who would crush the serpent's head, is Jesus. The woman at enmity, or hostility with the serpent, is Mary. It was God who put this hostility between Mary and Satan (the serpent), and it is believed to be in the same likeness as Christ's hostility for the seed of the serpent. What exactly does all this mean? For Mary to be like Christ in His hostility for Satan forever, it is very possible to say that this passage implies Mary's lack of sin. What better way is there to be in total hostility with Satan than to be in God's constant grace? As the New Eve, Mary undid the "no" of the Old Testament Eve by saying, "yes" to carry Jesus.

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Catholic Diocese of Makurdi Announces with Deep Sorrow But Profound faith in the Resurrection to new life the passing on of VRF Oliver Tarkende

Catholic Diocese of Makurdi Announces with Deep Sorrow But Profound faith in the Resurrection to new life the passing on of VRF Oliver Tarkende

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                                           CALL TO REST
 The Catholic Diocese of MAKURDI announces with deep sorrow but profound faith in the Resurrection to new life the passing on of VRF Oliver Tarkende, who died in the early hours of Monday, August 14, 2017 at the National Hospital Abuja. Until his death, Father Oliver was the Parish Priest of St. Augustine,s parish Demekpe, MAKURDI and the Dean of MAKURDI. He was ordained a priest on December 12, 1976.

Burial arrangement
Wake Keep comes Tuesday, August 22, 2017 and burial on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at OLPH Cathedral MAKURDI.
May his Saul rest in peace

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REASONS WHY CATHOLICS CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

REASONS WHY CATHOLICS CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

  09:41    Catholic Channels

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1. God preserved Mary from every stain of sin by foreseeing the death of His Son Jesus, and so we pray too, that is, we hope to be cleansed of sin and admitted to communion with Him;

2. we profess belief in God’s prevenient grace given to Mary and we hope that He will deliver us from sin;

3. in the Preface, the priest prays that in Mary who was “endowed with the rich fullness of your [God’s] grace … [there is] a worthy Mother for your Son and [which] signify the beginning of the Church; As Pope Benedict said today, “Mary, on the other hand,” he continued, “is Immaculate, free from all stain of sin. The Church is holy, but at the same time marked by our sins.”

4. in her yes to God’s invitation to be the Mother of Jesus, we have the “Lamb would wipe away our offenses”;

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HISTORY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

HISTORY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

  09:17    Catholic Channels

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                            THE HISTORY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

The origins of the Feast of Immaculate Conception dates back to the seventh century, when Mary’s conception was first celebrated. This was more of a feast day for Mary’s mother, Saint Anne, though- it was only in the eleventh century that the feast was celebrated in its current form. The events celebrated by the feat have been subject of quite some controversy over the centuries, as theologians have argued on one side that Mary could only have been sinless if she was exempt from original sin, whereas others have stated that she could only have been redeemed if she was subject to original sin. Since the fifteenth century, though, the former argument has been the official doctrine of the Western Catholic Church, and the feast day has been marked by millions of Catholics across the world.
A fact that becomes more obvious when you consider the fact that the feast comes just 17 days before Christmas. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary was given redemption by God from the moment of her conception. Not only was she therefore free from original sin, but she was also protected from personal sin- as befitting her role as the mother of Jesus. Because of the significance of this event, December 8 is therefore considered a Holy Day of Obligation, when Catholics are required to go to Mass.

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TRUTH ABOUT IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

TRUTH ABOUT IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

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TRUTH ABOUT IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

1  There's a popular idea that it refers to Jesus' conception by the Virgin Mary.
Instead, it refers to the special way in which the Virgin Mary herself was conceived.
This conception was not virginal. (That is, she had a human father as well as a human mother.) But it was special and unique in another way. . . .
2. What is the Immaculate Conception?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it this way:
 To become the mother of the Saviour, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.” The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as “full of grace”.  In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace.
 Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:
The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.
3. Does this mean Mary never sinned?
Yes. Because of the way redemption was applied to Mary at the moment of her conception, she not only was protected from contracting original sin but also personal sin. The Catechism explains:
The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God “the All-Holy” (Panagia), and celebrate her as “free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature”.  By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long. “Let it be done to me according to your word. . .”
4. Does this mean Mary didn't need Jesus to die on the Cross for her?
No. What we've already quoted states that Mary was immaculately conceived as part of her being “full of grace” and thus "redeemed from the moment of her conception" by "a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race."
The Catechism goes on to state:
 The “splendour of an entirely unique holiness” by which Mary is “enriched from the first instant of her conception” comes wholly from Christ: she is “redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son”.  The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and chose her “in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love”.
From among the descendants of Eve, God chose the Virgin Mary to be the mother of his Son. “Full of grace”, Mary is “the most excellent fruit of redemption” (SC 103): from the first instant of her conception, she was totally preserved from the stain of original sin and she remained pure from all personal sin throughout her life.
5. How does this make Mary a parallel of Eve?
Adam and Eve were both created immaculate--without original sin or its stain. They fell from grace, and through them mankind was bound to sin.
Christ and Mary were also conceived immaculate. They remained faithful, and through them mankind was redeemed from sin.
Christ is thus the New Adam, and Mary the New Eve.
The Catechism notes:
 As St. Irenaeus says, “Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.” Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert. . .: “The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.”  Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary “the Mother of the living” and frequently claim: “Death through Eve, life through Mary.”
6. How does this make Mary an icon of our own destiny?
Those who die in God's friendship and thus go to heaven will be freed from all sin and stain of sin. We will thus all be rendered "immaculate" (Latin, immaculatus = "stainless") if we remain faithful to God.
Even in this life, God purifies us and trains us in holiness and, if we die in his friendship but imperfectly purified, he will purify us in purgatory and render us immaculate.
By giving Mary this grace from the first moment of her conception, God showed us an image of our own destiny. He shows us that this is possible for humans by his grace.

John Paul II noted:
In contemplating this mystery in a Marian perspective, we can say that "Mary, at the side of her Son, is the most perfect image of freedom and of the liberation of humanity and of the universe. It is to her as Mother and Model that the Church must look in order to understand in its completeness the meaning of her own mission" (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Libertatis conscientia, 22 March, 1986, n. 97; cf. Redemptoris Mater, n. 37).
Let us fix our gaze, then, on Mary, the icon of the pilgrim Church in the wilderness of history but on her way to the glorious destination of the heavenly Jerusalem, where she [the Church] will shine as the Bride of the Lamb, Christ the Lord [General Audience, March 14,
7. Was it necessary for God to make Mary immaculate at her conception so that she could be Jesus' mother?
No. The Church only speaks of the Immaculate Conception as something that was "fitting," something that made Mary a "fit habitation" (i.e., suitable dwelling) for the Son of God, not something that was necessary. Thus in preparing to define the dogma, Pope Pius IX stated:
And hence they [the Church Fathers] affirmed that the Blessed Virgin was, through grace, entirely free from every stain of sin, and from all corruption of body, soul and mind; that she was always united with God and joined to him by an eternal covenant; that she was never in darkness but always in light; and that, therefore, she was entirely a fit habitation for Christ, not because of the state of her body, but because of her original grace. . . .
For it was certainly not fitting that this vessel of election should be wounded by the common injuries, since she, differing so much from the others, had only nature in common with them, not sin. In fact, it was quite fitting that, as the Only-Begotten has a Father in heaven, whom the Seraphim extol as thrice holy, so he should have a Mother on earth who would never be without the splendor of holiness.
8. How do we celebrate the Immaculate Conception today?
In the Latin rite of the Catholic Church, December 8th is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. In the United States and in a number of other countries, it is a holy day of obligation.
When December 8th falls on Saturday, the precept of attending Mass is still observed in the United States, even though it will mean going to Mass two days in a row (since every Sunday is also a holy day of obligation)

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IMPORTANT QUESTIONS CATHOLICS ASK EACH OTHER:

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS CATHOLICS ASK EACH OTHER:

  06:42    Catholic Channels

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IMPORTANT QUESTIONS CATHOLICS  ASK EACH OTHER:
Epiphany Baptism of the Lord?
When Is Mardi Gras?
When Does Lent Start?
When Does Lent End?
When Is Lent?
When Is Ash Wednesday?
When Is Saint Patrick's Day?
When Is Saint Joseph's Day?
When Is the Annunciation?
When Is Laetare Sunday?
When Is Holy Week?
When Is Palm Sunday?
When Is Holy Thursday?
When Is Good Friday?
When Is Holy Saturday?
When Is Divine Mercy Sunday?
When Is Ascension?
When Is Pentecost Sunday?
When Is Trinity Sunday?
When Is the Feast of Saint Anthony?
When Is Corpus Christi?
When Is the Feast of the Sacred Heart?
When Is the Feast of the Transfiguration?
When Is the Feast of the Assumption?
When Is the Virgin Mary's Birthday?
When Is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?
When Is Halloween?
When Is All Saints Day?
When Is All Souls Day?
When Is the Feast of Christ the King?
When Is Thanksgiving Day?
When Does Advent Start?
When Is Saint Nicholas Day?
When Is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception?
When Is Christmas?

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DATE ON WHICH WE WILL CELEBRATE EASTER IN FUTURE

DATE ON WHICH WE WILL CELEBRATE EASTER IN FUTURE

  06:17    Catholic Channels

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Date on which we will celebrate Easter in future:

Easter 2018: Sunday, April 1, 2018

Here are the dates on which we will celebrate Easter next year and in future years:

Easter 2019: Sunday, April 21, 2019
Easter 2020: Sunday, April 12, 2020
Easter 2021: Sunday, April 4, 2021
Easter 2022: Sunday, April 17, 2022
Easter 2023: Sunday, April 9, 2023
Easter 2024: Sunday, March 31, 2024
Easter 2025: Sunday, April 20, 2025
Easter 2026: Sunday, April 5, 2026
Easter 2027: Sunday, March 28, 2027
Easter 2028: Sunday, April 16, 2028
Easter 2029: Sunday, April 1, 2029
Easter 2030: Sunday, April 21, 2030

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THE TRUTH ABOUT EASTER

THE TRUTH ABOUT EASTER

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                        WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT EASTER
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Christian religion.
Eggs have been seen as ancient symbol of fertility, while springtime is considered to bring new life and rebirth.
Americans spend $1.9 billion on Easter candy. That’s the second biggest candy holiday after Halloween.
70% of Easter candy purchased is chocolate.
76% of Americans think the ears of a chocolate bunny should be the first to be eaten.
Tackle a campaign to make the world suck less

Egg dyes were once made out of natural items such as onion peels, tree bark, flower petals, and juices.
There’s much debate about the practice of dyeing chicks. Many hatcheries no longer participate, but others say that it isn’t dangerous to the chick’s health because the dye only lasts until the chicks shed their fluff and grow their feathers.
The first story of a rabbit (later named the “Easter Bunny”) hiding eggs in a garden was published in 1680.
Easter takes place on a Sunday, after the 40-day period called Lent. Lent is referred to as a time of fasting, but participants focus more on giving up one significant indulgence.
Holy Week is the celebrated during the week leading up to Easter. It begins on Palm Sunday, continues on to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and then finally, Easter Sunday.
“The White House Easter Egg Roll” event has been celebrated by the President of the United States and their families since 1878.

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HISTORY OF EASTER AND THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVE

HISTORY OF EASTER AND THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVE

  05:32    Catholic Channels

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How  Easter started
Easter is a holiday associated with the observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is actually based on an ancient pagan celebration. Christians recognize this day as commemorating the culminating event of their faith, but like so many other "Christian" holidays, Easter has become commercialized and mixed with non-christian traditions like the Easter Bunny, Easter parades and hunting for Easter eggs. How did this happen?

how Easter started
 Easter dates back to ancient times, not long after the global Flood recorded in Genesis 6-9of the Bible. Nimrod, a grandson of Noah, had turned from following his grandfather's God and had become a tyrannical ruler. According to the biblical record, as king, Nimrod created Babel, Ninevah, Asshur, Calla and other cities, all known for lifestyles that promoted unspeakable evil and perversion. When Nimrod died, his wife, Queen Semiramis, deified him as the Sun-god, or Life Giver. Later he would become known as Baal, and those who followed the religion Semiramis created in his name would be called Baal worshippers. They became associated with idolatry, demon worship, human sacrifice and other practices regarded as evil.

 Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz. Somehow, Semiramis convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn. Since people had been looking for the promised savior since the beginning of mankind (see Genesis 3:15), they were persuaded by Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived. Before long, in addition to worshiping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshiped Semiramis herself as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called Ishtar, Ashtur and yes, Easter.

Easter goes back to the springtime ritual instituted by Semiramis following the death of Tammuz, who, according to tradition, was killed by a wild boar. Legend has it that through the power of his mother's tears, Tammuz was "resurrected" in the form of the new vegetation that appeared on the earth.

According to the Bible, it was in the city of Babel that the people created a tower in order to defy God. Up until that time, all the people on the earth spoke one language. The building of the tower led God, as recorded in Genesis 11:7, to confuse their tongues to keep them from being further unified in their false beliefs. As the people moved into other lands, many of them took their pagan practices with them.

Contemporary traditions such as the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg can also be traced back to the practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature, rabbits have long been associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar. Ancient Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg that fell into the Euphrates River from heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar or Semiramis) was "hatched."

How Easter started
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about 2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover. Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional Passover. As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout non-jewish nations, among people who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day." Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of Israel itself. Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as a pagan holiday by the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely observed until just after the Civil War. Those interested in a Christian view of American history and the gradual compromise of America's Biblical foundations may wish to read books such as The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel.

We have all sinned and deserve God's judgment. God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from the dead according to the Bible. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring, "Jesus is Lord," you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.

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THE 10 NEWLY ORDAINED PRIESTS IN WARRI CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF DELTA STATE

THE 10 NEWLY ORDAINED PRIESTS IN WARRI CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF DELTA STATE

  05:04    Catholic Channels

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10 new gallant priests ordained today in Catholic Diocese of Warri. Delta state. No one take this honour upon himself. Congratulations brothers and welcome to the priestlhood family. Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech, you are priests forever after the order of Melchizedek.

CONGRATULATION AS YOU WORK IN THE GOD'S VINEYARD

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FEAST OF ST PATRICK CELEBRATION BY THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

FEAST OF ST PATRICK CELEBRATION BY THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

  00:25    Catholic Channels

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FEAST OF ST PATRICK CELEBRATION BY THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

St Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on March 17. The day honours the patron saint of Ireland, but celebrations are held around the world.
Since 1961, St Patrick has also been regarded as a patron saint of Nigeria, a country which is home to around 20 million Catholics.
While many see St Patrick's Day as an excuse to drink endless pints of Guinness while wearing a green wig, there's a little more to it than that.
So who was St Patrick?
St Patrick was a real man who was born in around 385 AD.
He may have been named Maewyn Succat, and changed to Patrick when he later became a bishop. He may be thought of as Irish now, but his exact birthplace is unknown.
It was most likely in England, Wales or Scotland. In his teens, he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland, where he was put to work as a herdsman.
After six years, he managed to escape and possibly fled back to his home. He became a Christian priest before returning to Ireland as a missionary in the mid fifth century.
He spent the next 30 years establishing schools, churches, and monasteries across the country.
Patrick was later appointed as successor to St Palladius, the first bishop of Ireland. He is said to have died on March 17 in the year 461.
The flag of St Patrick is a red saltire on a white background. The association with Ireland's patron saint dates back to the 1780s, when the Order of St Patrick adopted it as an emblem.
When the 1800 Act of Union (which came into effect from 1 January 1801) joined Great Britain and Ireland, the saltire was added to the British flag to create the Union flag which is still used by the United Kingdom.
The Union flag combines the flags of the St George's Cross, St Andrew's Saltire and St Patrick's Saltire.
Doesn't Ireland have another patron saint?
Yes, Ireland is lucky enough to have three patron saints. In addition to St Patrick, St Bridget and St Columba are patron saints of Ireland. St Bridget's feast day is celebrated on February 1, and St Columba is remembered on June 9, but March 17 is all about St Patrick.
Four myths about St Patrick
Many myths have been told about the figure of St Patrick. In order to determine the truth, we need to see what history can tell us about his life.
St Patrick single-handedly converted the Irish people to Christianity. The truth: Historians believe that there were already Christian believers in Ireland by the time Patrick arrived. Ireland also had strong trading links with the Roman empire, and the religion is likely to have been spread.
St Patrick defeated the pagan druids. The truth: This story is now believed to have been invented by a cleric, Muirchú, who lived two centuries later.
St Patrick droves the snakes from Ireland. The truth: Well, there are no snakes in Ireland now (apart from those kept in zoos and as pets), but this may be because there never were any. Another theory is that the last Ice Age was too cold for snakes to survive and then the Irish Sea stopped them from breeding in Ireland.
St Patrick explained the Holy Trinity using the shamrock. The truth: According to St Patrick's Day lore, Patrick used the three leaves of a shamrock to explain the Christian holy trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, it is thought that this story was invented centuries later, according to experts.
When is the St Patrick's Day Parade?
St Patrick's Day parades are held in many cities around the world, drawing thousands of people. Last year was particularly poignant as Ireland marked the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a key event in the country’s history.
This year's London St Patrick's Day Parade will take place on March 19. The The procession will makes its way down Piccadilly from 12pm, on a 1.5-mile route, passing some of London’s most iconic landmarks, including The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and onto Whitehall.
It is followed by a St Patrick's Day Festival in Trafalgar Square where revellers can watch St Patrick’s Day performances by West End stars, Irish acts and community choirs, plus a huge céilí on the stage, hosted by Irish stand-up comedian Jarlath Regan.
Festival-goers can then tuck into traditional and modern Irish food from the market, and enjoy special family activities for free. Find out more about the Trafalgar Square St Patrick's Day Festival.
Is St Patrick's Day a public holiday?
March 17 is a national holiday in Ireland, and in Northern Ireland. Although St Patrick is also the patron saint of Nigeria, the African country does not celebrate it as a national holiday.
St Patrick's day is a national holiday on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean.
The island of Montserrat
The island of Montserrat CREDIT: ALAMY
The island is also known as "the Emerald Isle" in memory of the Irish who settled there in the 17th century after Protestants expelled them from the neighbouring island of St Kitts.
An official green shamrock is stamped in your passport at the airport, and the national flag shows an Irish harp symbol. St Patrick's Day is also a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland.
Large numbers of Irish people emigrated to Newfoundland during the 18th and 19th centuries. Most were involved in the fishery trade.
Nigerian Dwarf Goat Wishes All a Happy St. Patrick's Day
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How is St Patrick's Day celebrated?
Even those who aren't Irish and can't claim any ancestry turn out to celebrate St Patrick.
People watch the annual St. Patrick's Day parade from a roof in Boston
People watch the annual St. Patrick's Day parade from a roof in Boston CREDIT: MICHAEL DWYER/AP
Some people choose to dress up in the colours of the Irish flag  green, white and orange, or as a leprechaun, while others simply enjoy a traditional Irish stew or a pint of the black stuff.
It is worth noting that blue, not green, is the colour originally associated with St Patrick. “St Patrick’s Blue” is used on Ireland's Presidential Standard or flag (left), while the Irish Guards sport a plume of St Patrick’s blue in their bearskins.
The emphasis on green is thought to be linked to “wearing the Green”, a symbol from the 18th century on, of sympathy with Irish independence.
Until the 1970s, all pubs were shut in Ireland on St Patrick’s Day, the sole venue selling drink being the annual dog show. Lenten fasting – and the obligation to abstain from meat – were lifted on the day, which most families would begin with Mass.
More than 10 million glasses of Guinness stout are enjoyed every single day around the world, and 1,883,200,000 pints are sold every year – that's 1.8 billion. But on St Patrick's Day, that number is much higher.
 Obama gives a thumbs-up as he celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a pint of Guinness during a stop at the Dubliner Irish pub in Washington
Well, if it's good enough for Barack O'Bama...
Despite its ostensibly Irish origins, only one of Guinness’ five breweries is situated in Dublin, with the others located in Malaysia, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria, which is the largest Guinness stout market in the world by net sales value, according to its website.
Nigeria accounts for around a fifth of Guinness’ global sales, Euromonitor International data show, and is the stout’s second largest market, behind the UK and ahead of the US and Ireland.
Popular Irish toasts on St Patrick's Day, include: may the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends beneath it never fall out.
And there's even a Google Doodle
Google has dedicated its latest doodle to the mystical Skellig Michael, a remote island just off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland.
The breathtaking spot is a World Heritage Site and home to many species of seabirds, including puffins, gannets, and razorbills, that perch atop the island’s summit.
If you’re brave enough to scale the 600 steps to the top of the rocky precipice, you’ll see a magnificent view of the mainland and the Atlantic Ocean from 714 feet above sea level.
Scenes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens were shot on Skellig Michael at various points in 2015. (The word is that Luke Skywalker took up residency on the island.)
Want to know how to get there?
Why do people wear green on St Patrick's Day?
Wearing green has now become associated with St Patrick's Day, even though the saint was originally associated with the colour blue. It is thought that the shift happened for several reasons – Ireland's nickname is the 'Emerald Isle', there is green in the Irish flag and the shamrock, Ireland's national symbol, is also green.
According to Irish tradition, green is the colour of the Catholics and orange is the colour of the Protestants. On the Irish flag, these colours are separated by white, which is symbolic of peace between the two.
Green ribbons and shamrocks are said to have been worn as early as the 17th century.

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