Saint Patrick's Day: Know about the origin of St. Patrick's Day and why it's celebrated
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17 every year around the world. The day is named after a saint from Ireland. On Saint Patrick's Day, people wear green, take out celebratory parades and organize other festivities. According to the history.com, ''St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures.'' The day was originally celebrated with religious feasts and church services, but over the centuries, St. Patrick's Day became a secular festival with Irish traditions and food. The parades and festivities became very popular in the United States after the Irish immigrants settled there.
Who was Saint Patrick?
Little is known about Saint Patrick. He is believed to be a Roman-British Christian missionary and Bishop in Ireland. Saint Patrick was believed to be born to wealthy parents around the fourth century and he died on March 17, in 460 A.D. He was a legendary figure and was considered a patron saint of Ireland.
Saint Patrick's Day: Cabbage and meat rolls are often a part of Saint Patrick's Day feast
Saint Patrick's Day: Traditional celebrations
Over the years Saint Patrick's Day became very popular in the US. Places where there were a large numbers of Irish immigrants, like Chicago and Boston, organised huge celebrations and elaborate parades. Green is the dominant coulour of Saint Patrick's Day and people wear geen clothes, decorate their houses in green and even prepare food with green leafy vegetables like cabbage. Traditionally people pin clover-shaped leaves and violet flowers of the Irish shamrock plant on the lapel.
Traditional Saint Patrick's Day feasts include meat and cabbage dishes and beer. People prepare the classic Irish Stew, soda bread and apple pie. Here's wishing all a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!