“If
a man who cannot count finds a four-leaf clover, is he lucky?” Saint
Patrick’s Day or Feast of Saint Patrick was founded after the death of
the Romano-British Christian missionary Saint Patrick passed away in 460
A.D. Officially known as Lá Fhéile Pádraig in Irish, “The Day of the
Festival of Patrick” is now commonly celebrated around the world, but
not as a real holiday. Although Saint Patrick’s Day is known for
leprechauns and pots of gold, the Shamrock, the flower of Ireland, is
the traditional symbol because of its importance in explaining the Holy
Trinity. The festive day is celebrated with the wearing of green or
orange and eating traditional Irish foods. In common days, people will
pinch others if they are not wearing green to honor Saint Patrick. In
Ireland, the Irish will give their respects to “Apostle of Ireland” with
parades, church services, the drinking of Irish beer and whiskey, and
the lifting of Lenten restrictions on eating meat. The most common meals
include shepherd's pie and corned beef with cabbage.
Saint
Patrick, born in 385 A.D., was raised in a Romano-British home with a
deacon father. Because religion was so strong in his family, he was
raised religious. At the age of 16, Patrick was taken captive but was
able to escape and attend school in hopes of becoming a priest. His
Christian beliefs were pretty widely known throughout Ireland, including
his comparison of the three-leaf clover to the trinity. He continued to
evangelize for thirty years in Ireland and even described himself as
the "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks
to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes
who had worshiped idols and unclean things had become the people of
God." He later died at the age of 85 on March 17, 460 A.D. After his
death, Irish natives began to celebrate March 17th in honor of Saint
Patrick.
