Today we largely celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a holiday for parades, festivities, and all things green. But who was St. Patrick and why do we celebrate this holiday the way we do?

The History of St. Patrick:

A Roman citizen, he was born and raised in present-day Britain. Despite his father being a deacon, Patrick never cared much about being faithful. At least, that was the case until he was kidnapped to Ireland by Irish raiders. After escaping back to Roman Britain, he dedicated his life to God by becoming a priest. St. Patrick would then travel back to Ireland in an attempt to convert people to Christianity, where he would be largely successful and is the main reason why Christianity is so prevalent in Ireland today. St. Partick would die on March 17, 461, but his legacy would resonate throughout Irish tradition and culture for all of time.

The Holiday’s Celebration:

St. Patrick’s day used to be celebrated by only a simple feast but grew in popularity over time because it gave Christians a reason to celebrate during the season of Lent, a time for sacrifice to God. The legends of St. Patrick grew with the holiday during the 1700s, and people began to wear shamrocks because of the legend that St. Patrick once used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. This lead to people wearing all sorts of green clothes for the holiday even though before the 1700s, the color of blue was mainly associated with St. Patrick. As Irish immigrants poured into America, the traditions they brought with them became more popular here as well. Eventually, the holiday would come to be celebrated in America with massive parades and celebrations.

What does St. Patrick’s day mean to you? How do you celebrate the holiday? Hopefully, now you have a little background of why we celebrate St. Patrick’s day in America. Nonetheless, practice your Irish accent, gather up all your green clothes, and have a great holiday this Saturday!