Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. More than 200 countries celebrate this cultural holiday, but many don’t know the full history of why we celebrate it.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on the 17th of March every year.. The tradition originated in Ireland in 1631, and has remained for hundreds of years. It honors Saint Patrick’s introduction of Christianity to Ireland. Irish families attend church in the morning, celebrate in the afternoon, then eat a traditional meal made of Irish bacon and cabbage in the evening. Often there is a parade held in honor of the holiday, with the first being held in New York City in 1762. The three largest parades happen in New York City, Chicago, and Boston. The holiday is celebrated in numerous countries across the world, though officially recognized in few, i.e., Ireland, the UK, the Canadian province of Newfoundland.
Patrick was born in Roman Britain to a family of Romans in charge of the colony. Sadly, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was 16. He spent 6 years there as a herdsman, during which he turned with fervor to his faith. While there, he preached the Christian faith to the Irish, converting a number of locals. Later, he dreamed of a ship that would bring him back home. He fled his inslavers, found the ship he dreamed of making it back home, where he reunited with his family. Later on, Patrick heard the “Voice of the Irish” asking for him to walk among them again.
Patrick got the title of a saint in a different way than usual. Instead of being canonized by the catholic church, he received the title by popular acclaim. After he went back to Ireland, he journeyed far and wide, baptizing and confirming with zeal. He also brought gifts to the chieftain here and a lawgiver there, but never accepted gifts from anyone. He gained many followers and built many churches during his time in Ireland. Later in his life, he retired to Saul ,a village in the former county down in Northern Ireland, where he may have written his Confessio. His confession was a reply to charges made by British ecclesiastics, He said “The Lord is powerful, and he can grant me still to spend my very self for the sake of your souls”. It’s said that an angel convinced Patrick that he was to die at Saul, the site of his first church. After his death on March 17, 461, his death date became the holiday we all know and love: Saint Patrick’s Day.
Multiple students on campus celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day as well. Some show their support by wearing green and pinching those who don’t participate. Some students also participate by running a 5k. Kelly Barlow, freshman, said, “We just hang out and play games and cook a big meal”. There are many other ways students celebrate, with one student explaining that their family likes to decorate the house with shamrocks and leprechaun-themed items. They also cook an Irish-themed meal, consisting of corned beef and cabbage.
