Post by mystrick on Mar 17, 2012 21:07:01 GMT -5
St. Patrick
Born to a wealthy family in Britain and fathered by a Christian deacon, St. Patrick was taken prisoner by Irish raiders when he was sixteen. During his imprisonment, Patrick worked as a shepherd and took solace in religion before escaping six years later. According to his writings, Patrick received divine guidance in dreams to become a missionary. After fifteen years of training, St. Patrick began to convert the Irish to Christianity. With a culture centered in paganism, oral legend and myth, Patrick began mixing familiar symbols, such as fire, the sun and shamrocks, with Christian teachings to appeal to the Irish. St. Patrick died on March 17 461 A.D.
Original Observation of St. Patrick's Day
According to John Roach of "National Geographic", after his death "Patrick was largely forgotten." But as many years passed and the legends of St. Patrick became more popular and embellished, he began to be honored as Ireland's patron saint. The original observation of this feast day was low-key compared to modern day revelry. History.com notes Irish families would typically attend church services in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. The restrictions of the Catholic Lent season were lifted and families enjoyed dancing, drinking and feasting on a traditional Irish meal of cabbage and bacon.
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First Parade
On March 17, 1762, the first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City. Soldiers with Irish roots took to the streets with music and marching to reconnect with their heritage. History.com states that in the coming years, New York Irish Aid societies formed and hosted their own parades featuring bagpipes and drums. Many of these parades were combined in 1848 to form the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Today, this parade is the oldest and largest in the United States drawing more than 150,000 participants and almost three million spectators.
History of Green
The tradition of wearing green on St. Patrick's Day seems to be strictly American. Ironically, the color is considered unlucky in Ireland. According to AmericanGreetings.com green is associated with the old Irish flag and a time when the country was not free. Another possible reason for green's unlucky reputation is that it is the favored color of faeries in Irish folklore, according to Bridget Haggerty, author of "The Traditional Irish Wedding." It is said that people wearing green, especially children, are likely to be kidnapped by the faeries.
Modern Day Celebration
Pub crawls, parades, green clothing and shamrocks proclaiming the luck of the Irish abound in modern St. Patrick's Day celebrations. On March 17 the love for all things Irish is on display around the world with celebrations in the United States, Ireland, China, Belgium, Japan, Australia, France, Germany and many other countries according to a March 18, 2007 article by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Born to a wealthy family in Britain and fathered by a Christian deacon, St. Patrick was taken prisoner by Irish raiders when he was sixteen. During his imprisonment, Patrick worked as a shepherd and took solace in religion before escaping six years later. According to his writings, Patrick received divine guidance in dreams to become a missionary. After fifteen years of training, St. Patrick began to convert the Irish to Christianity. With a culture centered in paganism, oral legend and myth, Patrick began mixing familiar symbols, such as fire, the sun and shamrocks, with Christian teachings to appeal to the Irish. St. Patrick died on March 17 461 A.D.
Original Observation of St. Patrick's Day
According to John Roach of "National Geographic", after his death "Patrick was largely forgotten." But as many years passed and the legends of St. Patrick became more popular and embellished, he began to be honored as Ireland's patron saint. The original observation of this feast day was low-key compared to modern day revelry. History.com notes Irish families would typically attend church services in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. The restrictions of the Catholic Lent season were lifted and families enjoyed dancing, drinking and feasting on a traditional Irish meal of cabbage and bacon.
Sponsored Links
Photo Books Are Forever
Print Your Own Book From Personal Photos! 3 Easy Steps, $0 Set-Up Fee
viovio.com/PhotoBooks
First Parade
On March 17, 1762, the first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City. Soldiers with Irish roots took to the streets with music and marching to reconnect with their heritage. History.com states that in the coming years, New York Irish Aid societies formed and hosted their own parades featuring bagpipes and drums. Many of these parades were combined in 1848 to form the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Today, this parade is the oldest and largest in the United States drawing more than 150,000 participants and almost three million spectators.
History of Green
The tradition of wearing green on St. Patrick's Day seems to be strictly American. Ironically, the color is considered unlucky in Ireland. According to AmericanGreetings.com green is associated with the old Irish flag and a time when the country was not free. Another possible reason for green's unlucky reputation is that it is the favored color of faeries in Irish folklore, according to Bridget Haggerty, author of "The Traditional Irish Wedding." It is said that people wearing green, especially children, are likely to be kidnapped by the faeries.
Modern Day Celebration
Pub crawls, parades, green clothing and shamrocks proclaiming the luck of the Irish abound in modern St. Patrick's Day celebrations. On March 17 the love for all things Irish is on display around the world with celebrations in the United States, Ireland, China, Belgium, Japan, Australia, France, Germany and many other countries according to a March 18, 2007 article by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.