St. patrick's Day Parade -

Look for the Nags Head church Float!

The 32nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held on March 19 beginning at 1PM at MP 11.5 on Beach Road.

 Was St. Patrick even Irish? Here are some surprising and inspiring facts -

St. Patrick was born Maewyn Succat c. 385 A.D. and perhaps more surprising than his name is that he wasn’t Irish. He was raised in an affluent family in the South of what is now Britain but at the time was part of the Roman Empire. At the age of 16, his coastal town was raided by pirates from Ireland. Maewyn was kidnapped and sold as a slave.

He worked as a shepherd for the next 6 years, learning the language and traditions of the people of Ireland. During this difficult time, Maewyn accepted the faith that he had rejected as a child and became a follower of Jesus Christ. His deep faith and constant prayer life sustained him during his years of enslavement.

In a dream, he was directed that “his ship was ready.” He escaped his captors and began a 200 mile trek to the coast of Ireland where he did find a waiting ship. Divine Intervention saved him and the crew from starvation and after an arduous journey, he was reunited with his family.  He studied under St. Germain and had his name changed to Patrick (finally.)

In another dream, he was called to return Ireland and the people that enslaved him. He followed the call to return to Ireland and spent the next 30 years of his life sharing the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the One True God, rescuing many from the dark, pagan traditions that had gripped Ireland for centuries.

We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, the date of his death. Next time you see a shamrock, think of the man that inspired the day and the message he shared. A message that caused him to forgive those who had made him a slave and to spend his life sharing the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Ireland.