What Do You Know About St. Patrick's Day?
St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated for hundreds of years by more than just the Irish. All around the world, March 17th is known as the day to wear green and enjoy alcoholic beverages that have been dyed the same color. Even though St. Patrick's Day has become an international holiday over the last few hundred years, not many people know who St. Patrick was, what they are celebrating for, or the truths and fallacies about the day.
Although St. Patrick (386-493) is the patron saint of Ireland, he was actually born in Britain. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was kidnapped and sold as a slave in the Pagan country of Ireland. Patrick believed that his only hope of ever being free again was in God's hands. Six years later Patrick was freed and began studying Christianity in Gaul. After twelve years, Patrick began traveling around Ireland spreading Christianity to the Pagans. His journey was very successful. By the time that he died, March 17, 493, he had converted over 120,000 people and put up over three hundred churches. Patrick's success angered many Irish natives, and he constantly had to avoid conflict.
Saint Patrick's Day is commonly celebrated by wearing green and attending parades. The largest parade held on March 17th is in New York City and is enjoyed by over two million people each year. The first parade in New York City was in 1766 when only Irish soldiers marched the streets, and since then has evolved into one of the most widely known parades in the world. Unlike the common one day celebration in the U.S., Ireland celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a five day festival, and because the Irish celebrated it so hard the U.K. Parliament passed a law that required all pubs to close on March 17. This law was finally repealed in the 1970's. It wasn't until the 1990's that the Irish government realized that advertising the holiday was a good way to share the Irish lifestyle and culture with the rest of the world. However, many people are celebrating it without knowing anything about it.
Many people that believe St. Patrick had special powers that he used to drive all of the snakes and other serpents out of Ireland, but if you ask anyone from Ireland they will tell you that snakes have never lived there. Others have no idea what the shamrock represents. When St. Patrick would explain Trinity to his converts he would use the three leaves of a clover represent Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Also, the reason that green is the color used to represent the holiday comes from the time of year that St. Patrick's Day falls in. Spring time is very green in Ireland, so it makes sense to use it as the holidays color.
When I started researching this holiday, I had no idea what it's history was. Now I have a much better understanding of it, and can use this knowledge to impress my friends in three weeks when the holiday comes. This St. Patrick's day will be the first that I actually know why I'm celebrating.
Although St. Patrick (386-493) is the patron saint of Ireland, he was actually born in Britain. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was kidnapped and sold as a slave in the Pagan country of Ireland. Patrick believed that his only hope of ever being free again was in God's hands. Six years later Patrick was freed and began studying Christianity in Gaul. After twelve years, Patrick began traveling around Ireland spreading Christianity to the Pagans. His journey was very successful. By the time that he died, March 17, 493, he had converted over 120,000 people and put up over three hundred churches. Patrick's success angered many Irish natives, and he constantly had to avoid conflict.
Saint Patrick's Day is commonly celebrated by wearing green and attending parades. The largest parade held on March 17th is in New York City and is enjoyed by over two million people each year. The first parade in New York City was in 1766 when only Irish soldiers marched the streets, and since then has evolved into one of the most widely known parades in the world. Unlike the common one day celebration in the U.S., Ireland celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a five day festival, and because the Irish celebrated it so hard the U.K. Parliament passed a law that required all pubs to close on March 17. This law was finally repealed in the 1970's. It wasn't until the 1990's that the Irish government realized that advertising the holiday was a good way to share the Irish lifestyle and culture with the rest of the world. However, many people are celebrating it without knowing anything about it.
Many people that believe St. Patrick had special powers that he used to drive all of the snakes and other serpents out of Ireland, but if you ask anyone from Ireland they will tell you that snakes have never lived there. Others have no idea what the shamrock represents. When St. Patrick would explain Trinity to his converts he would use the three leaves of a clover represent Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Also, the reason that green is the color used to represent the holiday comes from the time of year that St. Patrick's Day falls in. Spring time is very green in Ireland, so it makes sense to use it as the holidays color.
When I started researching this holiday, I had no idea what it's history was. Now I have a much better understanding of it, and can use this knowledge to impress my friends in three weeks when the holiday comes. This St. Patrick's day will be the first that I actually know why I'm celebrating.
posted by James Lyttle at
6:25 PM
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