March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. It is a holiday named after the Irish patron, Saint Patrick. St. Patrick was actually born, Maewyn Succat, in Scotland or Wales to a Roman-British army officer. When he was just 6 years old, he and other young lads were kidnapped by pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland.
When he was twelve years old, he had a dream of seeing God and was directed by God to escape in a ship. He went to Britain and then France. There he joined a monastery and studied for the next twelve years of his life. Later on in life, he became a bishop and felt he was being called to Ireland to tell them about God. At that time Ireland's population was mostly Pagan. He spent the next twenty years of his life in Ireland. I found that Patrick used the Shamrock Leaf with its three leaves to explain to the Irish people the Trinity of God, (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). That, I think is interesting because the Shamrock leaf was an ancient symbol for the triple goddess, Brigit. It is legend that St. Patrick drove all the venomous snakes from the land and into the sea. But most likely it is a metaphor of driving the pagans out of Ireland.
Two hundred years after St. Patrick arrived, Ireland had become completely Christianized. He died March 17th, 461. This is the day commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday to celebrate the Irish culture.
Other icons of St. Patrick's Day are:
Leprechaun-Celtic Fairy- also known as male aged pygmy, intoxicated shoemakers who are guardians of ancient treasure.
Color Green-Symbolic for Ireland's nickname, "The Emerald Isle", because the grass on the hills of Ireland is extremely green.
Blarney Stone-Kissing the stone is to bring the gift of persuasive expression. This stone is set in the wall of an Irish castle tower in the village of Blarney.
Corned Beef & Cabbage-Cabbage is a traditional vegetable of the Irish and corned beef was used at the turn of the century to make this traditional dish. Originally bacon was used, but the Irish immigrants of New York found that substituting the Corned Beef was more cost effective for them.
When he was twelve years old, he had a dream of seeing God and was directed by God to escape in a ship. He went to Britain and then France. There he joined a monastery and studied for the next twelve years of his life. Later on in life, he became a bishop and felt he was being called to Ireland to tell them about God. At that time Ireland's population was mostly Pagan. He spent the next twenty years of his life in Ireland. I found that Patrick used the Shamrock Leaf with its three leaves to explain to the Irish people the Trinity of God, (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). That, I think is interesting because the Shamrock leaf was an ancient symbol for the triple goddess, Brigit. It is legend that St. Patrick drove all the venomous snakes from the land and into the sea. But most likely it is a metaphor of driving the pagans out of Ireland.
Two hundred years after St. Patrick arrived, Ireland had become completely Christianized. He died March 17th, 461. This is the day commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday to celebrate the Irish culture.
Other icons of St. Patrick's Day are:
Leprechaun-Celtic Fairy- also known as male aged pygmy, intoxicated shoemakers who are guardians of ancient treasure.
Color Green-Symbolic for Ireland's nickname, "The Emerald Isle", because the grass on the hills of Ireland is extremely green.
Blarney Stone-Kissing the stone is to bring the gift of persuasive expression. This stone is set in the wall of an Irish castle tower in the village of Blarney.
Corned Beef & Cabbage-Cabbage is a traditional vegetable of the Irish and corned beef was used at the turn of the century to make this traditional dish. Originally bacon was used, but the Irish immigrants of New York found that substituting the Corned Beef was more cost effective for them.
