St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity’s most popular figures. But for the most part, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. And any of the stories traditionally told about St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, just exaggerated storytelling.

St. Patrick was born in Britain near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, about the year 460 A.D.

When he was just sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who transported him to Ireland, where he spent six years in captivity. During this time, he turned to his religion and become a devout Christian. Patrick escaped, the story goes, after hearing a voice from God telling him it was time to leave Ireland.

To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation: An angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary.