Saint Patty’s Day, held on March 17th every year, has evolved from simply a feast day commemorating Ireland’s patron saint into a global celebration of Irish culture. The holiday is marked by wearing green attire, eating Irish food and drink, parades, dancing, and more. But why do we celebrate Saint Patrick and this holiday named for him – even those with no Irish ancestry?
Origins of Saint Patrick and His Holiday
To understand why Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated, you first must know some background on Saint Patrick himself:
- Captured by Raiders – Born in Roman Britain, Patrick was captured as a teenager by Irish raiders who attacked his family’s estate, whisking him away to Ireland around the year 405 AD and forced into slavery there.
- Shepherd in Ireland – Patrick was held captive for 6 years in Ireland as a shepherd, turning to fervent prayer during this solitude.
- Visions and Escape – Per his writings, Patrick had a vision telling him to flee Ireland. He escaped on a pirate ship, ultimately making his way back home.
Years later, Patrick would return to Ireland on a self-proclaimed mission from God to minister to the Irish. Folklore says he used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity as he spread Christianity.
Why March 17th?
This date marks when:
- Death of Saint Patrick – He died on March 17th, 461 AD. The day commemorates his life more than birth.
- Feast Day – March 17th was declared his feast day by the early church, celebrating saints on their date of death.
So Christians first celebrated Saint Patrick every March 17th in recognition of his bringing their faith to the Emerald Isle at the risk of his own life.
How Celebrations Evolved Over Time
Over centuries, the March 17th Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations transformed from solemn devotional feast:
- 5th Century – Religious ceremonies observed by Irish Catholics.
- 9th Century – The first St. Patrick’s Day parade by Irish monks.
- 12th Century – Saint Patrick’s Day boiled dinner tradition starts.
- 17th Century – Public revelry and drinking become more common.
- 20th Century – Global phenomenon extending even in countries without large Irish-descended populations like Japan and Argentina thanks to heavy cultural exportation through media and American influence in allied nations after WWII in addition to immigration spreading Irish populations abroad over centuries.
Now it is more a secular cultural festival celebrating Irish pride in general rather than just the 5th century bishop.
Why Non-Irish Celebrate This Day
Given the loss of specific religious origins for most, why do major public celebrations continue today even where Irish makeup small fractions of the population? Reasons include:
- Good Timing – March 17th arrives as winter thaws to welcome spring to the Northern Hemisphere. The joyful holiday breaks dreary months.
- Fun Partying – Stereotypes of Irish joviality and drinking provide excuses for lively revelry and indulgence by all.
- Appealing Culture – Interest continues in Irish music, dance, myths and history which Saint Patrick’s Day links to.
- Community Spirit – Parades and events give chances for local bonding.
For most countries, this day moved from a religious memorial to a cultural celebration due to the infectious upbeat nature of Irish traditions even where direct ethnic ties are lacking.
Traditional Public Celebrations
Typical public Saint Patrick’s Day festivities demonstrating Irish cultural flavour include:
- Parades – Marching bands, floats, and performers progress while onlookers cheer.
- Wearing Green – Sporting at least one green item shows Irish spirit and camaraderie.
- Eating Irish Meals – Corned beef, cabbage, Irish soda bread, potatoes, etc.
- Drinking – Particularly Guinness beer but also Irish whiskey like Jameson and green beer (dyed for the day).
- Dancing – Riverdance style or more freestyle to upbeat Celtic music.
- Sayings – Wishing “Erin Go Bragh” meaning Ireland Forever, “Sláinte” as a toast meaning Health, and more.
Notable Saint Patrick’s Day Festivities
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| NYC Parade | One of the world’s largest at over 2 million spectators |
| Chicago River Dye | The river water is dyed bright green using a specialized vegetable-based dye |
| Montreal Shamrocks | They give away traditional three-leaf clover shamrock pins and hand out soil from Ireland |
| London Lighting | Major monuments like London Eye and Trafalgar Square light up emerald green to glow at night |
Reasons Celebrations Persist Globally
In summarizing why Saint Patrick’s Day enjoys such prevalence intertwined in cultures worldwide despite starting as a commemoration of a Catholic figurehead in a small country, key factors include:
- People enthusiastically adopt facets of cultures holding positive global regard like Ireland’s for music, welcoming communities found in Irish pubs abroad, and resilience through hardships making celebration during dark times uplifting.
- Its fixed date gives reliable surcease during gloomy late winter months that many cultures have few other excuses to revel en masse for currently.
- General religious observation keeps declining but desires continue for:
- Blowing off steam
- Bonding through group events and identity symbols like green clothes
- Simple reasons to socialize and party
Therefore, as formal piety faded, the infectious positivity and excuses for public merriment remained baked into Saint Patrick’s Day not tied directly to Irish individuals themselves. The holiday evolved but continues offering the same opportunities to revel, feast, and collectively cast off late winter doldrums.
Conclusion
While Saint Patrick’s Day may have started as a commemoration of a Catholic saint by Irish immigrants looking to stay connected to their heritage, it expanded into so much more. The timing, culture, charisma and inbound Irish immigration dispersed the popularity of Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations globally. The holiday maintains appeal through an upbeat focus and an inclusive invitation to all to adopt bits of Irish tradition for a day. So Sláinte to Saint Patrick for founding such an enthusiastically embraced holiday his homeland gratefully shares with the human family. Whatever your lineage, don your green finery to toast the Emerald Isle and this joy-spreading bishop from its misty past this March.
