The Quiz: In legend, what plant did St. Patrick use to explain the Holy Trinity?
Shamrock
Thistle
Gorse
Poison Ivy
It is said that during St. Patrick’s efforts to convert pagan Ireland to Christianity, he would use the local shamrock’s three leaves to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity. In reality, though, that’s probably not true. The link between Ireland’s patron saint and its most famous clover was likely fabricated by folklorists more than a millennium after Patrick’s death. His own writings feature no mention of botanical examples and, in all likelihood, St. Patrick’s shamrock legend is just a sham.
The correct answer to this quiz is Shamrock.