By Haylie Robinson
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th every year, the history of it being the day St. Patrick passed away in the fifth century. St. Patrick was born in Britain but kidnapped at 16 and brought to Ireland. There he was to be enslaved. He eventually escaped but returned to Ireland to introduce Christianity to the Irish.
St. Patrick’s Day holiday falls in Lent, a Christian season where European religious followers would party and celebrate the season. During Lent, Irish families would attend morning mass and mark the rest of the day with prayers.
It was around the ninth or 10th century that the Irish people saw this as a holiday. The Irish saw this day as a Roman Catholic Fest Day in honor of St. Patrick. According to History.com, the first actual parade and celebration held in America was on March 17th, 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. In March of 1762, Irish soldiers marched the streets of New York City in honor of Irish history with this day.
With over 100 parades held in America for St. Patrick’s Day, New York City and Boston are the most popular places to find events and activities originally started to celebrate the saint’s day. This holiday has grown with Irish immigrants over the decades, and they now celebrate this day to show the strength of what the Irish people have been through.
Some Fun Facts about St. Patrick’s Day are:
• St. Patrick’s Day is the day that historians think St. Patrick died.
• St. Patrick changed his name when he became a Bishop of the Church; his real name was Maewyn Succat.
• Blue was the color associated with St. Patrick because he saw green as unlucky, and it was the color the rebels would use while fighting the government.
So let’s celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! According to IrishCentral.com, to be festive on holiday, wear green. It keeps you invisible to the leprechauns that may pinch you if they see you. Leprechauns are the “icon of the Irish holiday,” according to history buffs.
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