He isn’t Irish and he isn’t Catholic, but this year’s Krewe of Killarney St. Patrick does have experience driving out snakes.

Charlie Vess was chosen by a committee of the former St. Patricks to lead the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade down Main Street on Tuesday.

And, in keeping with tradition, at the end of the parade Vess will throw snakes off the bluff — a symbolic cleansing of Natchez from bad spirits.

The parade will begin at St. Mary Basilica at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and end at the gazebo on the bluff.

But for Vess, an Adams County Justice Court judge, Tuesday won’t be the first time he has ridded Natchez of snakes. Vess said his job as a justice court judge allows him to do this on a regular basis.

“I’ve been driving snakes out of Natchez for 20 years,” Vess said. “I’m trying to get the bad out and leave the good behind.”

Legend explains that St. Patrick ridded Ireland of snakes when he put an end to many pagan practices in the country. St. Patrick is also credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and using the shamrock as a tool to teach the trinity.

Vess said it is because of St. Patrick’s work as a missionary and evangelist that he considers it an honor to have been chosen to portray St. Patrick in the parade.

“St. Patrick is a famous historical figure and not only of legendary fame,” Vess said. “He was a priest and philanthropist known for his work helping the poor in Ireland.”

The Krewe of Killarney has continued St. Patrick’s tradition of helping others by awarding scholarships to local students and also making donations to Holy Family School and Pleasant Acre Day School. The Krewe uses money raised through a yearly auction to fund the scholarships and donations.

Vess said representing the Krewe is a humbling experience for him since the Krewe is well known for its generous contributions.

“This is, to me, the highest honor — to be selected by people in the community to do this,” Vess said.

And Vess doesn’t make that claim lightly since he has been re-elected five times to his seat as a justice court judge. He said being chosen by his peers to serve in such a way is just as big of a thrill — if not a bigger thrill — as being re-elected.

“It is a feeling of elation (to be chosen to serve as St. Patrick) because this is a group of community leaders that thought my good works and community service were worthy of representing the Krewe as St. Patrick,” Vess said. “It is an honor to be selected rather than elected.”

Vess said that while he is not of Irish descent his German roots give him some understanding of the important role immigrants played in the formation of the United States.

“I’m happy to uphold the tradition of the Irish because the Irish, and other immigrants, helped build this country,” Vess said.

And while he recognizes the work and contributions of Irish immigrants, Vess also knows it can be fun to be Irish.

“Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” he said.

But while he himself can’t claim to have any Irish in his blood, he does have one piece of Ireland that he holds close to his heart — his wife, Corky Graves Vess.

“My wife is my shamrock gem. She is of Scotch-Irish descent,” Vess said. “Corky will be marching right beside me in the parade.”

During the walking parade Vess will don a green derby and throw favors in the colors of Ireland — green, white and orange. He said he expects 200 fellow walkers in the parade.

“Hopefully we’ll have a couple of pipers and maybe a leprechaun or two,” he said.