St. Patrick’s Day: History, significance and celebrations

St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish religious festival celebrated every year to mark the death of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. Also known as Lá Fhéile Pádraig in Irish and the Feast of Saint Patrick in English, the festival is observed to honor and celebrate the culture and heritage of Ireland and its people. 

Who was Saint Patrick? 

St. Patrick, also known as the ‘Apostle of Ireland’, was a Romano-British Christian bishop and missionary in 5th-century Ireland. 

Most of the information on St. Patrick has been derived from the books allegedly written by the saint himself, known as the ‘Declaration’ and the ‘Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus’. 

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While his birthplace remains unclear, most people believe that the patron saint was born to an affluent Romano-British family in the fifth century. 

St. Patrick came from a lineage of deacons and priests.  

According to the Declaration, St. Patrick was 16-years-old when he was captured and held captive by a group of Irish pirates for six years.

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During his time in captivity, the saint worked on his spiritual growth, strengthening his bond with religion and God and eventually converting back to Christianity.

St. Patrick, an evangelist, returned to his homeland to convert the pagan Irish to the Christian faith. 

It is also believed that St. Patrick gained prominence for ousting snakes from Ireland.

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He died on March 17 and was laid to rest at Downpatrick, Ireland. 

How is St. Patrick’s Day celebrated? 

The day is commemorated by processions, parades and carnivals. Several people wear green ensembles and symbols of shamrocks. According to legend, the patron saint used shamrocks to demonstrate the Holy Trinity to the Irish pagans. 

On St. Patrick’s Day, many Christians attend Church services. The day is celebrated by drinking Irish alcohol and other beverages.