St. Patrick’s Day is approaching quickly and many are probably getting ready to pull out those green shirts and drink lots and lots of green beer. However, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t about just wearing green or seeing how much one can drink over the course of a few hours. Let’s take a look at why we celebrate this widely recognized holiday.
Photo: KSFM
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th, every year to celebrate Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is the celebration of Saint Patrick’s death that was believed to be on March 17th, 461. Around the age of 16, Saint Patrick was kidnapped by raiders and enslaved on Gaelic Island. Saint Patrick eventually returned to Ireland and is credited with bringing Christianity to the once pagan Ireland. This religious holiday is observed by the Catholic church, Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Lutheran Church.
It has been said that Saint Patrick is known for using the Shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity. The Shamrock has become a staple in St. Patrick’s Day attire, some have even said that Saint Patrick’s use of the Shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity is the reason that people wear green for the holiday.
Photo: Pioneer Academy
Traditionally, Christians have attended church to celebrate the holiday and afterwards feast and drink. St. Patrick’s Day usually occurs during lent, in which the restrictions on food and drink are lifted for the celebration.
Photo: National Geographic
St. Patrick’s Day is recognized as a public holiday in Ireland but is celebrated throughout the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Great Britain. Many of these countries celebrate by having large parades and feasts.
Photo: History
One interesting thing about St. Patrick’s day is that it is a very big holiday outside of Ireland, especially in New York. Some have said that it up until the 20th century St. Patrick’s Day was a bigger celebration in the United States than it was in Ireland. In 1848 the New York Irish Aid society decided to combine all of the St. Patrick’s Day parades that were being held throughout the city into one very large parade, which is now known as New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Around 3 million people come to celebrate their heritage and the history of Saint Patrick at the parade that consists of over 150,000 people.