St Patrick’s Day

On the day March 17th is when we celebrate the holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. Everytime this holiday comes around, we celebrate by having parades, parties, and wearing lots of green. Most people do all these things, but what is the real meaning of St. Patrick’s Day? Every March 17th countries all around the world celebrate St Patrick’s Day in the observance of St Patrick’s death, the patron saint of Ireland credited for bringing Christianity to the country.

St Patrick was born in 387 AD and is said to have died on March 17th in or close to around about the year of 493. He grew up in Roman Britain but was captured by Irish raiders and was told to be taken as a slave when he was a young adult. He was enslaved in Ireland for six years, while there he grew to like the spirit of Irish. He finally escaped back to his family at the age of 22 and vowed one day to return to Ireland. St. Patrick eventually returned to Ireland in his 30s.

According to legend St Patrick rid Ireland of snakes. However, it is thought that there has been no snakes in Ireland since the last Ice Age. The snakes that people say St Patrick banished from Ireland may refer to pagan worshipers or snake serpent gods.

Believe it or not St Patrick didn’t wear green. His color was “St Patrick’s Blue.” The color green actually associated with Irish independence movement in the late 18th century.

St Patrick’s birth name was never what people know him to be called. He was actually born as Maewyn Succat. He changed his name to Patricius after becoming a priest. Legend has it that St Patrick used the shamrock as what we all know as the symbol of St Patrick’s Day to explain the concept of Holy Trinity, this is by showing an unbeliever the three leaf plant with one stalk.

Therefore, St Patrick is celebrated as St Patrick’s Day on the 17th in honor of his death. He is buried at Down Cathedral, Downpatrick, United Kingdom where he is still remembered by many people. Those are many reasons why we celebrate and enjoy St Patrick’s Day!

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