Do you wear green like I do on St. Patrick’s Day? Join us as we learn how this tradition started!
St. Patrick’s Day is such a fun and interesting holiday. It seems everyone celebrates this day, even though Ireland is such a small place!
Similar to Mardi Gras, many of the traditions we share on this day actually have religious roots.
This holiday occurs on the day that St. Patrick passed away, and his life is celebrated with a feast. While he lived around the year 400 AD, it wasn’t until the 17th century that the Catholic Church recognized the holiday.
The day is joyfully celebrated, particularly when it falls on a Friday such as this coming St. Patrick’s Day, because restrictions on Lent are lifted! While worshipers must fast for the 40 days and nights of Lent, just for this one day they can have a feast. Since this year’s 
celebration falls on a Friday, Catholics can even eat meat with their meal if the local bishop grants special dispensation from the law of abstinence. St. Patrick’s Day this year is very special since the last time this happened was eleven years ago.
The shamrock is a common theme because St. Patrick used it to teach Irish Catholics about the Holy Trinity, and it’s also part of the reason why celebrators wear green. Another reason we wear green is because Ireland is referred to as the “Emerald Isle.”
What really brought this holiday to life was mass immigration of the Irish in the late 1800s. Now, people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day all over the world, from places like Australia and New Zealand to the United States and the Caribbean.
Parades celebrating St. Patrick’s Day actually started outside of the country before the holiday caught on in Ireland. Immigrants around the world maintained their heritage by throwing these big, green festivals.
Today, St. Patrick’s Day has become so popular that it represents much more than just Ireland. Communities all over the world have adapted their own cultures to embrace the Irish. This dates back over a century, and shows how great it is to share your history with your neighbors, because then eventually, everyone can join in on the fun!
How does your family celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Share with us in the comments below!