The Origins of Saint Patrick Day’s Celebrations

The origins of St Patrick’s date back to the 385-461 AD period. Many strange stories have been told about the origins of St Patrick’s Day but with few ways to verify the stories, fact and fiction becomes somewhat blurred.

There are, however, some commonly accepted stories surrounding St Patrick’s Day. St Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents but when their estate was plundered he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland. During his captivity he became a Christian escaping 6 years later back to Britain. In a dream, an angel told him to return to Ireland for missionary work.

Fifteen years later after studying for the priesthood, he returned to Ireland and is credited for bringing Christianity to Ireland. After his death on the 17th of March, the Catholic church canonized him. This led to the observation of St Patrick’s Day in honor of Ireland’s patron saint.

The feast of St Patrick is believed to have been celebrated for over 1000 years and was declared a Roman Catholic feast day during the early 17th century. In 1902, St Patrick’s day became a national holiday. A subsequent law was passed to prohibit pubs from opening on March 17th and was only repealed in 1970.  

The first St Patrick’s Day parade was held  in Dublin in 1931. If the St Patrick’s Day feast falls during Lent, the local Bishop can remove the requirement to abstain from meat. Alternately, St Patrick’s Day feast has been moved to a different week to avoid conflicts.

St Patrick’s Day was introduced to the United States by Irish Immigrants. The first recorded parade was in Boston in 1737. The day has become a popular celebration worldwide among both Irish and Non-Irish  and people of varying religions. While many may enjoy St Patrick’s Day for its  parades, festivities, Irish food, Irish beer and all things green, St Patrick’s Day originated as a religious feast in honor of Saint Patrick.