History of St. Patrick’s Day
Today I’m going to tell you all about the history of St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that is celebrated on March 17th each year. It is the feast day of Ireland’s patron St. Patrick. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in Ireland and all over the world by people of Irish heritage. It has become a celebration of Irish culture as well St. Patrick was a man who was actually born in Britain in 387, during the time that Britain was occupied by the Roman Empire. His parents named him Padraig, he came from a family of priests.
When he was about 16, Patrick was kidnapped by Raiders from Ireland, they took him back to Ireland as a slave. Where he was forced to tend sheep, the Patrick came from a Christian family, he found that there were no Christians in his new home. The people in Ireland practiced a different religion. Patrick was lonely so he decided to pray, he spent a lot of time praying.
When Patrick was about 20, he had a dream that he believed came from God based on his dream. He escaped from his captors and made it to the sea, where he found a ship. The Captain who agreed to take him back to Britain, when he arrived back in Britain, he was reunited with his family he also decided that he wanted to be a priest so he began to study. Patrick studied for many years he became a priest and was then made a bishop. Then St. Patrick decided to return to Ireland to tell people there about what he believed. Patrick worked in Ireland for 40 years telling people about God. Some say that St. Patrick converted all of Ireland to Christianity.
Origin of St. Patrick’s Day
It is said that by converting the Irish to Christianity, he drove the snakes from the island. One of the important symbols of Saint Patrick’s Day is the three leaf clover and the Shamrock. He used the Shamrock to help people that they understand God easily. Patrick died on March 17th 461 after spending many years helping people and sharing his beliefs all over Ireland. He died in the same place he had built his first church today. St. Patrick’s Day is as much a celebration of Irish culture as a celebration of Patrick himself. People of Irish heritage all over the world wear green clothes and shamrocks on March 17th. Many people also eat a traditional Irish meal of corned beef, cabbage potatoes, and soda bread. In Ireland, most people go to church in the morning in the United States.
There are many people with Irish heritage their ancestors move to the US during the Irish potato famine so there are many special celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day in the United States. Each year during St. Patty’s Day the city of Chicago even dies the Chicago River green, the fountain on the lawn of the White House gets dyed green, too many cities in the United States also have parades. Did you know that the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade ever took place in New York City in 1762. Other symbols of Irish culture have also become associated with St. Patty’s Day like the leprechaun. The Leprechaun is a magical person from Irish folktales. It is said that if you can catch a leprechaun he has to give you his pot of gold. Happy St. Patrick’s Day and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about this fun and exciting holiday.
