Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17th. Although it is an Irish holiday, it’s widely celebrated all over the United States and FSU students look forward to this day of leprechauns and green beer. Excited for an excuse to drink, we grab our green party favors and head to the bar, but during all the chaos no one really takes the time to think about what we are actually celebrating. Although the history and life of St. Patrick is somewhat vague, his impact on Irish culture is something we should be aware of.
Saint Patrick is a significant historical figure and one of the most commonly recognized patron of saints that lived in the 5th century A.D. Although famous for the mark he made on religion in Ireland, he was originally from the British Isles. As a young boy, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. While serving as a slave, he claimed to have built a closer relationship with God. After being in slavery for around 6 years, he claimed to receive a vision from God, in which he was instructed to escape and return to his homeland.
Guided by divine instruction, he escaped from captivity and found his way back to Britain, where he spent around 12 years at a monastery in training with St. Germain of Auxerre to become a bishop. After becoming a bishop, he came to the realization that God wanted him to return to Ireland to convert the Irish pagans to Christianity.
In Ireland, St. Patrick experienced much resistance and was arrested several times. Despite these incidences, he was still very successful in converting many people of Ireland, even those of the royal family. St. Patrick spent 30 years in Ireland setting up churches and monasteries and bringing the Irish written copies of the Bible. His impact on the nation was astronomical. He is believed to have died on his feast day, March 17th.
St. Patrick’s Day was not first celebrated as a holiday until 1737, and surprisingly, the first parade was not held in Ireland, but in New York City.
In the U.S., parades, wearing green, and much drinking characterize St. Patrick’s Day. How does the celebration differ in Ireland? Although they also celebrate this day with parades and drinking in pubs, this holiday is much more religious for the Irish. Originally, Irish people attended mass, donated to charities, and had feasts, much like Christians do for Christmas. However, throughout the years, this holiday has become much more Americanized. For example, the Irish didn’t have large-scale celebrations until the first one in New York. The Dublin Parade, which displays and celebrates Irish culture, is a huge part of the Irish celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
As Ireland has become more modernized and St. Patrick’s Day more Americanized, the history of this holiday and the impact of St. Patrick himself is quickly being forgotten. Today St. Patrick’s day is more of a celebration of Ireland’s Rich culture. So as you chug your green beer this Thursday, remember that it is always good to know the little bit of history behind what you are celebrating.
Resources
http://hnn.us/articles/630.html
http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm
http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/historyofpatrick.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day