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Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit. 'the Day of the Festival of Patrick'), is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. 385 – c. 461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
Learn about the origins, symbols and customs of St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday that honors the patron saint of Ireland and celebrates Irish culture. Find out who was St. Patrick, why we wear green, and how parades and shamrocks became part of the celebration.
May 3, 2024 · St. Patrick’s Day, feast day (March 17) of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but returned about 432 ce to convert the Irish to Christianity.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Who Was St. Patrick?
- When Was The First St. Patrick’s Day celebrated?
- Growth of St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
- The Irish in America
- The Chicago River Dyed Green
- St. Patrick's Day Celebrations Around The World
- What Do Leprechauns Have to Do with St. Patrick's Day?
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Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianityto its people. In the centuries following Patrick’s death (believed to have ...
Since around the ninth or 10th century, people in Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick on March 17. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place not in Ireland but in America. Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. The par...
Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called “Irish Aid” societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums. In 1848, s...
Up until the mid-19th century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Faminehit Ireland in 1845, close to 1 million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics began pouring into America to escape starvation. Despised for their alien religious beliefs and unfamiliar accents by the American Protes...
As Irish immigrants spread out over the United States, other cities developed their own traditions. One of these is Chicago’s annual dyeing of the Chicago River green. The practice started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate...
Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the worldin locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia. Popular St. Patrick’s Day recipes include Irish ...
One icon of the Irish holiday is the Leprechaun. The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is “lobaircin,” meaning “small-bodied fellow.” Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, res...
Learn about the origins, meaning and traditions of St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish patron saint and national apostle. Find out how the holiday is celebrated in different countries and cultures, from parades and shamrocks to green rivers and soda bread.
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Feb 1, 2019 · Learn about the origins and customs of St. Patrick's Day, a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on March 17 in honor of the patron saint of Ireland. Find out who was Saint Patrick, how corned beef and cabbage became a staple, and why we wear green.
Saint Patrick's Day, considered his feast day, is observed on 17 March, the supposed date of his death. It is celebrated in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora as a religious and cultural holiday.
Mar 16, 2024 · NEW YORK (AP) — If it’s March, and it’s green, it must be St. Patrick’s Day. The day honoring the patron saint of Ireland is a global celebration of Irish heritage.
