Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries: St. Patrick's Day--why celebrate?

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

St. Patrick's Day--why celebrate?

Why do we celebrate St Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on 17 March. St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is believed to have died on that day. We know from ancient writing (Annals of Ulster) that St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain in AD 387. As a teenager, he was captured and taken to Ireland. He was held captive for 6 years and became religious during that time. When he returned to England he became a priest.

Patrick had a dream that the people of Ireland asked to him to return to them. He did return to Ireland and converted many people there to Christianity. He used their pagan beliefs to explain Christian teachings. For example, he explained the concept of the Holy Trinity by using the Shamrock with its three leaves as symbol. St. Patrick died on 17 March, 493. Saint Patrick is venerated in Ireland and many parts of the world although there was no formal canonization process in the Catholic Church at that time.

St. Patrick's Day is an official holiday in Ireland and is celebrated to honor the saint and pay tribute to the cultural traditions of Ireland. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated as a feast day by the Roman Catholic Church and in Ireland, the celebrations are religious. The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Ireland was held in Dublin in 1931. In 1762 Boston held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade. New York is host to the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S.; other cities hosting parades include Seattle, Savannah, New Orleans, Syracuse, and Las Vegas. Wearing the color green (associated with the green leaved Shamrock), consuming Irish food and drink, and parades mark the festivities.

The library has many books available on St. Patrick (and those little leprechauns that Ireland is also known for). Listed below are a few of the selections.