When you hear, “St. Patrick’s Day!” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you think of four-leaf clovers, Lucky Charms, and leprechauns? Of course, but have you ever asked yourself, “Is there more to St. Patrick’s Day that I don’t know of? Where did it originate from?” St. Patrick’s Day has always been an enjoyable day in March, but like any other holiday, it originated from somewhere. Do you hear that, leprechauns? We humans have opened the portal to your world, but we do not want you to worry. We are not going to steal all your four-leaf clovers.
St. Patrick’s Day has been around for over 200 years. It began in 1631 in Ireland, when the Church held a lavish banquet in honor of Saint Patrick. Unfortunately, we know little about him. What we do know is that Saint Patrick is known as the “Patron Saint of Ireland,” and even though he was not Irish, he helped Ireland in many ways and served it during the 5th century. This made him a prominent figure in Irish heritage and history. Some even argue that his real name wasn’t Saint Patrick at all—it was Maewyn Succat. St. Patrick’s Day started in Ireland, but when the Irish immigrated to the United States, they created the larger celebrations and parades we have today.
During the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), Irish soldiers held the first St. Patrick’s Day parades. The shamrock is a key symbol of St. Patrick’s Day because, according to legend, Saint Patrick explained the Trinity through it. The Trinity is defined as “the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead” from a Christian point of view.
Another interesting symbol in St. Patrick’s Day history is the origin of leprechauns. That’s right, leprechauns, it is now your turn to shine on the stage. Keep your shamrocks—they look much better on you than me. Leprechauns originated from an old Irish belief before Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland. The Irish believed in gods known as “Tuatha Dé Danann” and that their kings and queens descended from them. The Tuatha Dé Danann took on the forms of fairies, tall and small, and leprechauns were the tallest of them all. Even though they are usually seen wearing green, the Irish believed that they did not wear green at all, but red coats instead.
While you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, think about its origin and how it got here in the first place. Thank the Irish, thank Saint Patrick, and yes, even thank the leprechauns. If you think that, who knows? Maybe the leprechauns will be kind enough to give you some gold from their pots.
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