Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday celebrated in honour of Ireland’s
patron saint, St. Patrick.  It is a very important day in Ireland
and has become a popular holiday all over the world.

It is not known exactly when St. Patrick was born or when he
died, but it is believed he lived around the years 390-490.  He
is celebrated in Ireland because he is credited with bringing
Christianity to the island.  He traveled to Ireland as a
missionary and had success in converting the people to the
new religion.  St. Patrick reduced paganism in Ireland and
popularized Christianity in the country.  March 17th is believed
to be the day that he died and thus is the day of the
celebration in his name.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a religious and national holiday.
Traditionally the Irish attend a church service in the morning
and then have celebrations in the afternoon.  Considering this
holiday falls during the days of Lent, it has also been a
tradition on this day to abandon the normal sacrifices of this
time.  In 1903 St. Patrick’s Day was made a public holiday in
Ireland.

In 1995, the government of Ireland established the St. Patrick’s
Day Festival.  This is a festival designed to give more exposure
to Ireland throughout the world and to organize various
activities.  The goal is to,

—Offer a national festival that ranks amongst all of the
greatest celebrations in the world and promote excitement
throughout Ireland via innovation, creativity, grassroots
involvement, and marketing activity.

—Provide the opportunity and motivation for people of Irish
descent, (and those who sometimes wish they were Irish) to
attend and join in the imaginative and expressive celebrations.

—Project, internationally, an accurate image of Ireland as a
creative, professional and sophisticated country with wide
appeal.
http://www.stpatricksday.ie/cms/history_stpatricksday.html
St. Patrick’s Day Around the WorldIn 1737 the Irish immigrants began publicly celebrating St.
Patrick’s Day in the United States with a parade in Boston.
Soon it would be a major holiday with parades in many of the
major cities.  Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by many
Americans, both Irish and non-Irish.  As well, it is celebrated all
over the world in places such as Canada, Japan, Spain, and
Russia. 
How is St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated?In the United States and Canada, St. Patrick’s Day has become
a day to celebrate all things Irish.  Many people wear green
clothing and colour their food or drinks green.  One popular
tradition is to drink green beer.  In many large cities there are
St. Patrick’s Day parades and ceremonies.  The largest parade
is in New York City and it usually has over 2 million spectators.
Most people enjoy the day with friends and family at St.
Patrick’s Day parties.  Many of the decorations and clothing
are green and feature the two main symbols of Ireland: The
shamrock and the leprechaun.
The ShamrockThe shamrock was believed to be used by St. Patrick to
symbolize the Holy Trinity.  The three petals were symbols of
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existing together in one body.
Later, the shamrock was adopted as a symbol for Irish
nationalism against the English.  In modern times, the
shamrock is the most well known symbol of Ireland
throughout the world.  Therefore, on March 17th it is common
to wear shamrocks or use shamrock decorations.
The LeprechaunA leprechaun is a mythological character in the form of a tiny
man.  He is dressed in green, with a top hat.  Leprechauns are
symbols of good luck and fortune.  The story is that they will
lead a person to the end of the rainbow where they will find a
pot of gold.  Some enthusiastic people dress like leprechauns
on St. Patrick’s Day.

In North America, St Patrick’s Day has become known as one
of the most fun and light-hearted holidays.  In Ireland, the
holiday still has strong religious connections and remains one
of the most important holidays of the year.  Whether
recognizing the religious ties of St. Patrick’s Day or simply
wearing green and having a good time, this is a holiday that
can be celebrated by everyone throughout the world.

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