Eclipsed by the more popular Saint Patrick, Gertrude of Nivelles is also celebrated today, a holy woman who somewhat inexplicably became the patron saint of cats.
Celebration of an ancient and vibrant culture.
Niall Carsons/PA Archive/PA Images
Lisa Bitel, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
There are many myths associated with St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. But Patrick’s own writings and early biographies reveal the person behind the legend.