St. Patties Day is thought of as a day full of green shamrocks, rainbows, gold and the overall celebration of Irish culture.

But Saint Patrick himself wasn’t even Irish. According to his book “The Confession of Saint Patrick,” he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and for six years was kept as a slave in Gaelic Ireland. In his book it is written that “god told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home”.

Patrick then went on to become a priest, and “according to tradition, Patrick returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity.” He died on March 17, some time in the mid-fifth to early-sixth century and was buried at Downpatrick.

Now he is widely known as the “Apostle of Ireland,” and is celebrated for his role in sharing Christianity to what was once a widely practicing pagan Ireland. Which is where leprechauns come into the story.

In an attempt at successful religious integration St. Patrick’s movement adopted existing pagan symbols, celebrations and traditions in the hope of more pagans converting to Christianity. They took what was applicable and then erased the parts of paganism that didn’t support the church’s ideals.

According to Britannica’s definition of leprechaun, these mythical creatures come from ancient folklore. They are said to be “fairies in the form of a tiny old man often with a cocked hat and leather apron.” They are known to “live in remote places and to make shoes and brogues.”

Fairies, otherwise known as Fae, have been rooted in Irish and Scottish folklore through the practice of paganism since before the 8th century. Their role has been to reconnect humans with the natural world. “In a time of unprecedented environmental crisis, faeries both call for and symbolize the re-enchantment of the world.”

March 17 was originally a pagan holiday called Ostara which celebrated the spring equinox and symbolized “nature’s rebirth and balance of the universe.” Its particular focus was on the equal length of day and night.

By the early 17th century Saint Patrick’s Day was noted as an official Christian feast day. It is now not just a religious Irish celebration but also a global holiday.

Now how did a religious day of remembrance become a popular drinking holiday?

Well, due to St. Patrick’s Day falling during Lent, they have historically lifted the “Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol.” Which is how it has become a day characterized by the drinking of alcohol.

Colleges across Pennsylvania hold annual St. Patties bar crawls and even well-known events like Penn state’s infamous “State Paddies Day.” This has been a yearly celebration since 2007, because of the school’s spring break notoriously falling during the holiday.

But while many use the holiday as an excuse to drink, the real story of St. Patrick’s Day has been lost among the commercialized figures that now characterize March 17.