Do you know these lesser-known facts about the Irish celebration?

Known for the day of wearing green and downing pints of Guinness, few Americans understand the history behind the Irish St. Patrick's Day. To prepare you for March 17^th, here's a list of lesser-known facts about St. Patrick's Day!

1. March 17^th is when Patrick died Saint Patrick is a saint of the Catholic Church and his holy day is the day of his death, and subsequent entrance to heaven, rather than the day of his physical birth.
2. Patrick wasn't Irish Patrick's parents were Roman citizens living in modern-day England, or more precisely in Scotland or Wales (scholars cannot agree on which). He was born in 385 AD. By that time, most Romans were Christians and the Christian religion was spreading rapidly across Europe.
3. Patrick wore blue The original color associated with St. Patrick was blue, but because the Saint preached about the Holy Trinity through the symbol of the shamrock, and Irish are associated with green, it became the most common color connected with him.
4. 100 lbs. of green dye was poured into the Chicago River in honor of St. Patrick's Day In 1961! The Chicago River stayed green for a full week.
5. Guinness sales soar on St. Patrick's Day Recent figures show that 5.5 million pints of the black stuff are downed around the world every day. On St. Patrick's Day, that figure is doubled!

We hope you have a wonderful and safe St. Patrick's Day! Remember to leave your insurance needs in the hands of professionals. Bell Black Insurance can help you secure your needed personal and commercial insurance needs today!