St. Piran's Day 2021: 5 Fascinating Things About The Patron Saint

March 5 marks St. Piran's Day, which is said to be the most important holiday in Cornwall, the United Kingdom.

Some people may not be familiar with St. Piran but he's actually quite an important figure in Cornwall. People celebrate the occasion with parades, live music, traditional foods and, of course, a lot of alcohol, National Today said.

In fact, people consume so much on St. Piran's Day that it started the expression "drunk as a Perraner," Pot and Barrel noted.

But what makes St. Piran so important to Cornwall residents? Apart from being one of the county's three patron saints, he is also the patron saint of tin miners. This is because he is said to be the one who discovered the process of extracting tin, which he then taught to the local miners.

This kickstarted the mining industry in the county and it remained an important part of its economy for many years. In 1998, the county's last mine was closed down.

Even people who are not Cornish can celebrate the event by learning more about the county's culture, perhaps by researching about it or trying traditional Cornish dishes. One can also choose to learn some interesting things about the saint, who clearly made a major mark in the lives of Cornish people, even though not a lot is known about him.

On this day, let's have a look at some interesting things about St. Piran, courtesy National Today, Pot and Barrel, and Catholic Online:

He may be from Ireland

Although St. Piran is an important figure in Cornwall, it is believed that he actually came from Ireland. In fact, he is said to be the most famous out of all the saints who came to Cornwall from Ireland, Catholic Online noted.

Miraculous arrival

How he arrived in Cornwall is quite exhilarating. According to Catholic Online, it is believed that St. Piran was tied to a millstone, which was then rolled over the edge of a cliff so he would fall into the sea. However, he safely arrived in Cornwall's Perran Beach where he built a small chapel.

"His first disciples are said to have been a badger, a fox, and a bear," the outlet noted.

The remains of the chapel he built are still there in the region, National Today said.

St. Piran​'s Miracles

St. Piran is believed to have performed several miracles. For instance, he is believed to have raised soldiers from the dead when he was still back in Ireland, Pot and Barrel noted.

Inspiration for the Cornish Flag

St. Piran is said to have discovered the process of tin mining when he noticed white liquid leaking from a black stone that was heated by fire. This started the industry in Cornwall.

And Cornwall's flag, which shows a white cross on a black background, represents this all-important discovery, National Today noted.

Crab named after him

According to Catholic Online, the Clibanarius erythropus is known as the St. Piran's crab, which was named in his honor in 2016. Mount St. Piran in Banff National Park in Alberta Canada is also named after the saint.