Patricus – the future Saint Patrick - was born around 390 in Cambria, England, the son of a deacon and grandson of a priest. When he was 14 or 16, he was captured by pirates and enslaved as a shepherd in Ireland, where he used his time in the fields to pray. After six years he escaped or was freed and made a 200-mile journey to a port, where he convinced some sailors to take him home to England. He trained for the priesthood, was ordained a bishop and then returned to Ireland. He made many missionary journeys and played a key role in converting what had been a country of pagans into a bastion of Christianity. Because of his stand against the Druids, he is often invoked against snakes and witchcraft. He died in 461 and is buried in County Down, Ireland.
As he worked to explain the key concepts of Christianity to Celts across Ireland, Patrick used simple examples his audience could understand. Most famously, he was said to have picked a three-leafed clover and used it to explain the idea of the Holy Trinity – that God is one being in three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The leaves represent these three distinct persons while the stem visually depicts how they are united into one. You can get shamrocks at local garden centers this time of year to serve as a visual reminder that God is always with us.