Hello again friends! Much like the St. Valentine’s Day post I did, I wanted to do a very brief overview of St. Patrick’s Day! How did St. Patrick’s Day turn from a religious holiday to a day where thousands of people gather in the streets and drink a bunch of green-dyed Bailey’s? And how in the world did the mysterious leprechaun become involved in such a celebration? I have Irish roots, so this day has always fascinated me perhaps more than the average person. However, let’s get into it!
Meet the Man: Who Was St. Patrick?
Many are very familiar with the name, but how many could even briefly say who St. Patrick was? Well, St. Patrick was born in Britain around the latter portion of the 4th century AD. Although it is unclear whether or not his family had deeply religious roots, Patrick’s father was a deacon at their local church, so Patrick was raised in a strictly Christian household. Around the middle of his teenage years, Patrick was kidnapped and taken prisoner by a band of Irish pirates. While captive for 6 years or so, he worked in Ireland as a shepherd, and his life was void of companionship. Lonely Englishman Patrick turned to God for solace and became very adamant about sharing his Christian faith amongst the Irish people. Though his job was lonely, it is unclear if he got to spread his religion among many, but the desire was present. After his imprisonment, Patrick could escape, as he believed he felt or heard God leading him away from Ireland. From here on, Patrick studied for nearly 20 years and became ordained as a priest. His biggest goal was to be a missionary in Ireland, yet he was sent with the mission of ministering to Irish Christians (no, he did not introduce Christianity to Ireland). Patrick was never properly canonised either but has been considered the patron saint of the country.
What Did St. Patrick Do?
So, how was this English priest influential? Perhaps what he is most remembered by is his use of the three-leafed clover to explain the Holy Trinity. As this is a complicated doctrine to learn, Patrick’s lesson helped people to visualise what the Bible preached. Even more than the clover that grows all over Ireland, Patrick also used their own culture and language in his preachings. He is credited with creating the Celtic Cross, symbolising the crucifixion of Christ as well as the sun, which used to be a pagan Celtic symbol for a false god.
The Celebration of Patrick
Now with this knowledge, we can further learn how this English priest came to be celebrated. In 1631, once he was known as a saint, Patrick got his own day to be remembered. The date was set to the day he supposedly died, March 17. Originally, it was meant to remember what Patrick had done for the Irish Christians while he served in their country, and the headway he made in turning the tide amongst the pagan Celts. Roughly 100 years later, the day became convenient for Irish Catholics during Lenten, and St. Patrick was celebrated with a feast. It got out of hand very quickly, yet nothing was put to an end. A little bit later, the shamrock and the colour green became associated with St. Patrick, thus inspiring the day we all know now. So, where do Leprechauns fit in? Well, it’s fairly unclear why the mythical little fairies came to be a symbol of this religious celebration. Perhaps things just became blurry or uncertain amongst the mix of pagans and Christians in the early days of the holiday.
How is St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated Around the World?
So now that we know about St. Patrick, and we know how he got his own day on the calendar, we can continue with the differences in celebrations around the world!
AMERICA, CANADA, THE UNITED KINGDOM, and AUSTRALIA
Generally, people have huge celebrations and parades in which they dress up in flashy green clothes, sometimes mimicking the leprechauns. In Chicago, the Chicago River is dyed green. Other places use the day as a huge tourist attraction, especially among public houses. It is not viewed as a religious holiday anymore in these countries, unfortunately, students and employees don’t get a break for the day.
IRELAND
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is still a religious holiday. Some schools and businesses close up for the day, and in the 70s the government instituted a law prohibiting pubs from opening. This, however, was repealed 20 years later. People in Ireland definitely use this day as a huge tourist attraction with huge parades and public celebrations throughout the majority of the country!
Well, I hope this has informed people of the roots of a holiday mostly known for Bailey’s, shamrocks, lucky charms, and mystical creatures! So, this St. Patrick’s Day, take a chance to explain to somebody the real meaning behind it, especially with Patrick’s shamrock illustration. What better way to “make an excuse” of sorts to explain the Holy Trinity?! Have some corned beef and cabbage, pick a shamrock, and maybe read the first chapter of the Gospel of John and his epistles and discover what he wrote about the Trinity. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to write them down below! I’d love to chat!
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"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." - John 1:1-2 ESV
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