The Serious Side of St. Patrick's Day

In America, St. Patrick's Day is all about parades and green beer, but in Ireland it is still viewed primarily as a religious holiday. March 17, AD 461 is believed to be the date St. Patrick drew his last breath. The site of his death is believed to be Saul Church in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland, which is where St. Patrick had founded the first Christian church around 432. The patron saint of Ireland is traditionally believed to be buried two miles away, where Down Cathedral (above) has since been erected in his honor. According to legend, a team of oxen pulling a cart carrying his body came to rest here, signifying that God had chosen this very spot for St. Patrick's burial.