What is Saint Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick observes the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has become a cultural celebration of Irish culture with towering, special food, music, dancing, drinking and much more.
St. Patrick’s Day is the most visible day for celebrating and learning about Irish culture.
Who was Saint Patrick?
Patrick, whom almost everyone calls “Saint Patrick,” although never approved by the Catholic Church, was born into a wealthy family in AD 387 Kilpatrick, Scotland. His real name was Maewyn Succat.
It was his great missionary work in Ireland that Patrick is famous for. During his 30 years of service there, he is said to have converted more than 135,000 people, established 300 churches, and consecrated 350 bishops. Patrick died March 17, 461. More than a thousand years ago.
When is St. Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick Day is officially celebrated on March 17 each year, although celebrations may not end on this day. The significance of March 17 is that it is said that the day of the death of St. Patrick in the late 5th century (circa A.D. 493).
Why do we celebrate St Patrick’s Day!
History records that Saint Patrick, at the age of sixteen, was captured by Irish invaders and spent several years as a slave in Ireland.
It was during this time that he learned the various customs, traditions, and language of the Druids, and it was these people who eventually preached to them.
Patrick apparently had a dream in which God spoke to him, saying, “Your ship is ready.” Patrick then fled by boat to Ireland. Shortly thereafter, he received another dream in which he found a book that was written “Irish Voice.” When he opened it, he heard the voices of all those he had met in Ireland begging him to return.
Then Saint Patrick returned to Ireland to tell people about Christ. Although the work was difficult and dangerous, he persevered and was able to lay a solid foundation for Christianity.
The Irish people accepted his teachings, mainly because he was able to take several of their Celtic symbols and “make them Christian”. Patrick’s most famous images are the shamrock, a type of clover sacred to the Druids, which he uses as a symbol of the Trinity.
Every year millions of people celebrate Patrick’s Day. It is a national holiday in Ireland where people are unemployed but serving and reuniting with family. In the United States, the first St. John’s Day exhibition Patrick’s was held in New York on March 17, 1762. It consisted mostly of Irish soldiers. Today, St. Patrick is celebrated with a green dress, symbolizing spring and Irish culture.
What began as a religious holiday has become a worldwide celebration of all Irish objects. There is no Saint Patrick or St. Patrick’s mentioned in Scripture.
While we do not strongly agree on certain aspects of theology taught by St. Patrick, the fact that about 1,600 years ago a man gave his life in proclaiming the gospel, which led to tens of thousands believing in Christ, is well worth celebrating (Luke 15: 7-10).