Despite not being recognized as a federal holiday in the U.S., St. Patrick's Day is often celebrated with American traditions. The holiday has been influenced by both Irish and American culture. Despite being named as Saint Patrick, he was born in Britain in the fourth century and spent six years in captivity in Ireland before becoming a devout Christian. His mission was to minister to existing Irish Christians and convert non-Christians. The tradition of wearing green on St.Patrick’s Day has little to do with him, with the color representing Ireland as a whole. However, one legend suggests that wearing green makes a person invisible to leprechauns, which often occur in Ireland.