The Real History of St. Patrick’s Day
When asked about St. Patrick’s day, you probably think about city-wide parties, wearing green, and getting pinched. After doing some research, I realized there is so much more behind the history of it. Saint Patrick, the lucky four leaf clover, and Irish pride are just a few of the reasons behind its existence.
Saint Patrick was the Apostle of Ireland and remains the patron Saint of Ireland. Patrick was kidnapped as a teenager by Irish pirates who forced him to be a slave. The time as a slave allowed him to grow closer to God. As a slave, his duty was to watch over the sheep, which gave him time alone to pray and study the word of God. He, later on, became ordained a bishop, and in his holy memoir the confession, he wrote of a man who came from Ireland with several letters. One of the letters handed to him, and he read the letter which was a cry of appeal from the people of Ireland. The letter led him to spread the word of God throughout Ireland and open several churches. St. Patrick continued to spread the word of God until he passed away in the first church he ever started, which was called Saul. His Saints Feast day is March 17th, also known as St. Patrick’s day.
As a missionary, he would use the shamrock to explain the trinity of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. These three parts are why the shamrock is a typical decoration for St. Patrick’s day parades and parties. Shamrocks are also the symbol of Ireland, and it is believed by the children of Ireland, that if you find a four-leafed clover and keep it in your pocket, you will receive much luck. There are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every-one lucky four-leafed clover. The tradition started a long time ago, but it is still common for people to look for these individual shamrocks.
Saint Patrick and Irish pride are celebrated all over the world, but in the United States, there is a massive parade in Chicago. This tradition started because workers were down in the Chicago sewers and used green dye to search for sewage gunk, and one of the workers had the idea to dye the river green for St. Patrick’s day. Another popular celebration takes place in Savannah Georgia. The city has a high number of Irish people in their population, and these people go berserk for their proudest holiday. It is a time for them to be able to express their heritage and honor Saint Patrick.
There is more to this holiday than most believe, it is a day where us Americans should be proud to honor the Irish inhabitants of our country. Remember all of these facts and next St. Patrick’s day might mean a little more to you. So on this year’s St. Patrick’s day if you feel bored and want some excitement, drive over to Savannah and participate in their spectacular parade. Here you can celebrate the holiday and get pinched if you’re not wearing green!
