Most people are unaware of the original idea and reason for celebration of St.Patricks Day. Saint Patrick’s Day is not only for wearing the color green, but has immense historical background.
“Saint Patrick’s day is a day where everyone dresses up in green to celebrate being Irish” said Sophomore Gabriella Lehr.
Surprisingly, according to National Geographic, the real St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish. He was born in Britain around 390 A.D. to an aristocratic Christian family. When Saint Patrick was 16, he was kidnapped and sent overseas to Ireland to tend sheep as a slave.
Senior Bailee Roces said, ” When I think of St.Patrick’s day I think of people all dressed in green celebrating Irish heritage in San Francisco.”
Also according to National Geographic, while in Ireland St. Patrick became a strong believer in Christianity and seven years later he found his way home on a pirate ship heading back to Britain and then spent the rest of his life converting people to Christianity.
After he died on March 17, 461, Patrick was greatly forgotten. Mythology brought back the ideas of St. Patrick back centuries later and he was honored as the patron saint of Ireland.
As time went by St. Patrick’s day evolved more into a day of celebrating Irish heritage than celebrating Saint Patrick himself.
Freshman Drew Lehr said, “I celebrate St.Patrick’s day by wearing green so no one pinches me!”
According to History.com, sometime in the 19th century, as St. Patrick’s Day parades were flourishing, wearing the color green became a show of commitment to Ireland.
According to the Huffington post the shamrock is widely known for St. Patrick’s day because saint Patrick also used a shamrock to explain the Christian concept of Trinity to the Irish.
Junior Erica Aldenese said, “I always thought the use of clovers on St. Patrick’s day was just because they were green.”
St.Patrick’s day not only serves as a fun day of wearing green and festive celebration, but comes from a single man who dedicated his life to teaching people about Christianity.
