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An Early St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick’s Day is usually celebrated on March 17, the anniversary of the partron saint of this holiday; however, this year due to an early Easter, some locals are celebrating it earlier, and others later. Originally a holy day, today it has become a day to celebrate everything Irish, including drinking green beer, which some believed didn't go well with one of the holiest times of the Catholic year.

Who was St. Partick?
While he may be one of the most heard of Saints, much of his story and life is very vague and embellished with stories of legend and awe.

He was born somewhere around the end of the fourth or beginning of the fifth century. Patrick was born in Britain, but at the age of 16, was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. He escaped after six long years of slavery and returned back to Britain.

It was there he decided to become a Priest and dedicate his life to his religion. Some stories reveal that he had visions from angels who told him to go back to Ireland to preach and share christianity.

Patrick did return to Ireland and worked on his mission for 30 years. He died on March 17.

Legend of St. Patrick
St. Patrick is famed for chasing all of the snakes out of Ireland. Depending on which legend you listen to, he either drove them into the sea after giving a sermon from a hilltop, or he fasted and meditated for forty days on a mountain, which drove the snakes away. While it’s true that there are no snakes in Ireland, there’s no scientific proof that St. Patrick (rather than an ice age) was responsible for this. What the legend represents is the driving out of paganism from Ireland, which St. Patrick was responsible for.

Shamrocks
Another tradition or legend associated with this patron saint of Ireland is the shamrock. St. Patrick was said to have used the shamrock to teach about the Holy Trinity, using each of the three leaves to represent Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

What do leprechauns have to do with St. Patrick's Day?
The only answer to this question seems to be that because leprechauns come from Ireland, and all Irish things are usually associated with St Patrick’s Day, they have become associated with this holiday. As the legend goes, leprechauns are Irish fairies, which according grow no taller than 2 feet. They are shoemakers by trade and tend to be drunk most of the time. However, they are never too drunk to swing the hammer and make more shoes.

According to legend, leprechauns are grumpy old men and tend to live alone. They also possess a hidden pot of gold. The tradition also says that if caught, leprechauns must reveal the whereabouts of their gold; however, they are very tricky and can vanish with a blink of an eye.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!