The Diocese of Phoenix celebrated St. Patrick's Day, recognizing St. Patrick as the patron saint of Ireland and the man who is credited with bringing Christianity to that country.

“Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Patrick, Bishop. Ora pro nobis!” the diocese said on Facebook Thursday. 

St. Patrick was born in Britain near the end of the 4th century, a history.com report says. His parents were well off financially. At the age of 16, Patrick was captured by a group of Irish raiders that brought him to Ireland. 

He labored as a slave for six years, often working as a shepherd in isolation. His loneliness gave him reason to rely on his faith, and eventually God told him in a dream that it was time to escape back to Britain. Patrick is said to have walked around 200 miles to do so. Once he was back in Britain, God instructed him to return to Ireland as a missionary.

Ireland was largely pagan at the time, Franciscan Media says, but Patrick had a dream in which all the children of Ireland were reaching out their hands to him. He continued his studies and became a bishop, then returned to Ireland. Despite opposition from some of the pagans, Patrick converted many Irish people to Christianity. Among his accomplishments, he ordained priests, founded monasteries and established dioceses. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and of engineers. 

St. Patrick is also connected to many myths and legends. One popular legend is that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland, according to Britannica. He is also said to have raised 33 people from the dead. He used shamrocks - the native flower of Ireland - to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity. 

The Phoenix Diocese’s Facebook page has a picture of a statue of St. Patrick, with a quote attributed to him: “I pray to God to give me perseverance and to deign that I be a faithful witness to Him to the end of my life for my God.”