St. Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on March 17 (Credit: Hongreddotbrewhouse/CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons)

It's St. Patrick's Day! This means you can pinch anyone not wearing green, go on extensive searches for lucky, four-leaf clovers, and chase down leprechauns that lead to pots of gold. For those wondering how the death anniversary of an Irish clergyman grew into one of the world's most popular holidays, here is a brief history.