EVER WONDER: St. Patrick’s Day

By Jacque Scott

St. Patrick’s Day

Ah, St. Patrick’s Day… Just how did our green-colored Irish holiday start? I know we all have fun, wearing our greens and friendly pinching those of us who don’t, but how and when did it all start? Let’s see what we can find out with a little research.

The person who later became St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about 385 AD. He was named Maewyn, and he almost didn’t get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required schooling.

Maewyn thought himself to be a pagan until he was sixteen. At that time, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish raiders who attacked his village. During his days as a slave, he became closer to God.

After six years in captivity, he escaped and went to Gaul where he studied in a monastery under St Germain, a bishop of Auxerre, for twelve years. During his years of training, he felt his calling was to convert pagans to Christianity.

Maewyn changed his name to Patrick and made known his wishes to go to Ireland to convert the native pagans. However, the job went to St. Pallidius who had a few more years of education. Two years later when St. Palidius was transferred to Scotland, St Patrick was appointed the second bishop of Ireland.

St. Patrick was very successful at winning converts, and the Celtic Druids in the country made life tough for him. He was arrested several times but escaped each time. Patrick traveled throughout the country setting up monasteries, churches and schools in his attempts to convert the Irish to Christianity.

Patrick’s mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. He then retired to County Down, and died on March 17, 461 AD. We have known that day as St. Patrick’s Day ever since.

There is much folklore referring to St. Patrick’s Day, but much of it is handed down and not documented. Some of this lore has St. Patrick raising people from the dead and later driving all of the snakes from Ireland. There never have been snakes native to Ireland, and some say that the snakes really refer to the conversion of the pagans in Ireland.

Traditionally, we think of the shamrock when we think of St. Patrick’s Day. This comes from a more credible Irish tale that tells how St. Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost could all be separate parts of the same single entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day came to America in 1737 where it was first publicly celebrated in Boston. The first parade was held in America, not in Ireland, on March 17, 1762. Irish soldiers serving in the English army marched through the city of New York. The parade helped Irishmen re-connect with their homeland as well as with fellow Irish soldiers in England’s army.

Today, St. Patrick’s Day falls in the middle of the Christian season of Lent. We celebrate by having parades, parties, drinking green colored beer and wearing green. Even the prohibition against the eating of meat during the Lenten season is given up for the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. The holiday may have become so popular in this country, because it is only a few days before spring. It has been said to be the ‘first green of spring’.

So, there you have it……….a bit about St. Patrick’s Day. God bless you.