Soon enough, the bars will be filled with green beer and partygoers ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Although the day celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, many might not know much about St. Patrick other than his robes and iconic scepter.

March 17 marks the death of Patrick, who, according to History.com, was born in Great Britain and not Ireland and was never “actually canonized by the Catholic Church.”

So, what’s the story behind the “saint”? Here are five facts about St. Patrick and his day you might not know.

Patrick wasn’t his birth name

According to Euro News, St. Patrick was born Maewyn Succat to Christian parents in Roman Britain — his father was a deacon and grandfather was a priest. He was renamed twice, once to Patricus after becoming a priest and then Patrick when he retuned to Ireland.

Myth of the snakes

The old adage of St. Patrick standing tall on the hilltop of Croagh Patrick, where he banished all the snakes out of Ireland, is a fun legend. However, it’s not true. According to scientists, Ireland was never home to any snakes.

Religious holiday

The start of St. Patrick’s Day was originally a marker of his death on March 17. In 1903, the Irish declared his date a religious holiday, putting into law that all pubs were to close on this day. It wasn’t until 1995 that the Irish government overturned the law to attract tourists, capitalizing on Patrick’s death to display Irish culture. Now, the day is celebrated with festivities, drinking and parades.

Wear blue, not green

Since the 10th century, blue was the color associated with St. Patrick, and green was considered unlucky. The standard remains true in Ireland, where they honor him by wearing blue.

“The earliest depictions of St. Patrick show him clothed in blue garments, not green, and that when George III created a new order of chivalry for the Kingdom of Ireland, the Order of St. Patrick, its official color was a sky blue, known as “St. Patrick’s Blue,” the Smithsonian Magazine wrote.

The shamrock

The harp is the actual symbol of Ireland and not the shamrock. It didn’t become popular until the 18th century, Irish Central said, because it was worn by members of the Irish Volunteers — locals who defended against the threat of Spanish and French invasions.

“But contrary to popular belief, Ireland’s national symbol isn’t the shamrock. It’s actually the harp, which you’ll find on Irish coins, state seals and the presidential flag,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote.

Over the years, celebrating the life of St. Patrick has become a mix of parades, leprechauns and wearing green. If you want to celebrate the festivities in a more authentic way, ditch corned beef and cabbage, which are more of an American invention, and opt for something truly Irish like roasts, leg of lamb and rosemary.