Every March 17th, thousands of people don their greenest garb, march in Irish pride parades, eat green clover-shaped cookies, and quaff frosty mugs of green beer in celebration of the Catholic Saint, St. Patrick's Day. But do you really know who St. Patrick was and why he is celebrated? ©Martin Mullen / Adobe StockPatrick was born in AD 387 just south of Hadrian’s Wall in Britain, which was part of the Roman Empire (that's right — he wasn't Irish!

Rosary beads help Catholics count their prayers. More importantly, Catholics pray the holy Rosary as a means of entreaty to ask God for a special favor, such as helping a loved one recover from an illness, or to thank God for blessings received — a new baby, a new job, a new moon.Praying the Rosary is a bit complicated, so we've included a Rosary guide.

According to Exodus in the Old Testament, God issued his own set of laws, the Ten Commandments, to Moses on Mount Sinai.In Basic Beliefs of Catholicism, the Ten Commandments are considered divine law because God himself revealed them. And because they were spelled out specifically with no room for ambiguity, they’re also positive law.

This Cheat Sheet focuses on the mysteries of the rosary, which, to Catholics, represent the events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. They are referred to as "mysteries" not because they are mysterious things that cannot be figured out; when it comes to the rosary, the mysteries are events devout Catholics can never stop thinking about.

Catholics are, first and foremost, Christians who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Catholicism shares some beliefs with other Christian practices, but essential Catholic beliefs include the following: The Bible is the inspired, error-free, and revealed word of God. Baptism, the rite of becoming a Christian, is necessary for salvation — whether the Baptism occurs by water, blood, or desire.

On holy days of obligation, Catholics are obliged to participate in Mass. Every Sunday is a holy day of obligation, as are six other days throughout the year. In the United States, these holy days of obligation are January 1: The Feast of Mary, the Mother of God 40 days after Easter Sunday: Ascension Thursday August 15: Assumption of Mary into heaven November 1: All Saints’ Day December 8: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception December 25: Christmas, the Nativity of Our Lord Holy days are like Sundays in that Catholics must attend Mass, and if possible, refrain from unnecessary servile work.

Catholicism shares many beliefs with other Christian faiths, as well as certain prayers, but Catholicism puts its own spin on things. For example, the Catholic version of the Lord's Prayer (or the Our Father) differs a bit from the Protestant version. Get a basic understanding of Catholic beliefs by reading the articles of Catholic faith.