Ah, St. Patrick’s Day. When you were little, it was either wear green and pinch people who aren’t or not wear green and get pinched. Things are a little different when you get older, you wear green and have an excuse to drink green beer. But, how much do you really know about this green holiday? Read on to find out.
According to Catholic Online….
March 17th was the day St. Patrick died… In 461 AD.
St. Patrick wasn’t Irish but British. That’s right, British! St. Patrick was born in England in 385 AD where his parents were Roman citizens in Scotland or Wales.
Patrick’s color is blue not green.
Saint Patrick is depicted wearing blue vestments in many artworks. Not only that, but the country’s flag is blue. It was not until later that green was associated with the country because of the green countryside and the country being referred to as the “Emerald Isle”.
The shamrock is not the symbol of Ireland, but St. Patrick used the shamrock to preach about the trinity.
Apparently, it doesn’t represent faith, hope, love or even luck. No, Patrick used it to show how The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit were separate entities and one and the same.
There are more Irish in the U.S. than Ireland. 34 million Americans have Irish ancestry (including me), whereas 4.2 million people are living in Ireland.
Your odds of finding a four leaf clover are 1 in 10,000.
According to Mental Floss….
New York City’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the largest (and largest running in the world, according to Nat Geo.)
250,000 people march through Fifth Avenue since 1762.
Chicago dumps 40 tons of green dye into the Chicago River.
And has been since 1962.
There are no female leprechauns.
Where’s Hermione Granger when you need her? #HeForShe or #leprechaunforleprechauna.
Websites used:
http://valentinexday.com/a-parade-goer-on-st-patrick39s-2015/
http://pixgood.com/real-four-leaf-clover-wallpaper.html
http://www.livescience.com/27957-st-patricks-day-5-facts.html