As you might have heard, Saint Patrick’s Day is coming up this March. But do you know the history of Saint Patrick’s Day? In this article you will get a summary of what its true roots are.
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. His feast day (otherwise known as Saint Patrick’s Day) is March 17. Saint Patrick was born in Britain and was brought to Ireland as a slave at 16 years old. He spent six years as a herdsman, before fleeing his enslaver by ship to Britain. Dangerously close to starvation, captured briefly a second time before being reunited with his family. Eventually, he became a priest, helping spread Christianity throughout Ireland. Greatly praised by many, he then became a saint.
Since Saint Patrick did so much for the Irish, they decided to honor him by celebrating him with a feast day. Dancing, parades and wearing green were a large part of the celebrations. Religious services and drinking were also included in this remembrance.
So how did Saint Patrick’s Day go from a religious holiday celebrated by the Irish to a holiday people all over America recognize? When some Irish emigrants started to populate parts of America, they continued to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. As they started to gain some political power, the Irish would make some parades and other celebrations on Saint Patrick’s Day. Since 1962, Chicago started dyeing their river green during Saint Patrick's Day and many cities held parades on the day. Eventually, these extravagant events led Irish and non-Irish (especially people in the United States) to wear green in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day.
Though this doesn’t cover the entire history of Saint Patrick’s Day, we hope this gave you some insight and a better understanding of how Saint Patrick’s Day came to be!