BY ANSHI PEDDAREDDIVARI
STAFF WRITER
St. Patrick’s Day is an annual holiday that is celebrated on March 17th. Originating in Ireland, it has become an important holiday in the states. March 17th, 461, was believed to be the day Saint Patrick passed away.
Who was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick was born in Britain in 387. He came from a family of priests. When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped by raiders from Ireland. He held there for 6 years where he converted to Christianity and later became a Christian missionary. Many people didn’t know who St. Patrick was when he first passed away. Later on, he was honored as the Patron Saint of Ireland.
Why Shamrocks and Green?
The shamrock usually symbolizes St. Patrick’s Day, but many people are unsure as to why. The shamrock is the symbol of this holiday because of its connection to St. Patrick. It is believed that St. Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain ‘The Holy Trinity’ (Father, Son, and Spirit). This made people in 18th century Ireland wear shamrocks on their clothes to show their Irish Christian pride. This later grew into the tradition of wearing green on the holiday.
How did the holiday first come to the United States?
This holiday, originating in Ireland, made it all the way to the U.S. It began after the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland. This caused thousands of Irish immigrants to come to the U.S. in the 1840s. They went to many American cities including New York and Boston. The first parade that celebrated the holiday actually occurred in New York!
How is the holiday celebrated?
There are many ways people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. There are huge parades to celebrate the holiday in many places. The holiday occurs during the Christian season of Lent. Lent prohibits the consumption of meat, but this rule is taken away for the festival. Irish families will usually dance and drink and have a fun time with their loved ones. They also would feast on traditional Irish bacon and cabbage.
St. Patrick’s Day is an exciting celebration to take part in and is a fun holiday to celebrate with friends and family during the month of March.
Source:
https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/history-of-st-patricks-day