Every year, kids and adults dress up head to toe in green to celebrate a day of luck and long-lasting good fortune. Some people even take it as far in dressing up as leprechauns or Irishmen.
St. Patrick’s day began hundreds of years ago, around the 9th century, when Ireland began to celebrate the saint with large, religious feasts.
King Henry VIII deemed blue the color of Ireland during this reign when he created a court of arms with a golden harp positioned on a blue background. In the 1700s, blue was seen as a color of nationalism so it quickly became the color of St. Partick too because of the connection between the country’s court of arms and St. Patrick’s influence.
As patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick is known for visiting towns, preaching Catholicism and the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity; however, he wasn’t actually Irish but born in Wales. He is known for his influence over Irish culture even though he was brought to Ireland as a slave during this life.
During the 12th century, middle-class protestants and Catholics began wearing green in defiance of British imperialism. They reflected back on legends that St. Patrick would give shamrocks to individuals as he preached Catholicism.
A four-leaf clover, or shamrock, became a symbol of the country and was a strong representation of nationalism during hard times.
The holiday began as a religious celebration to remember Irish culture and heritage. In the past, pubs were closed on the day, until that changed in the 1970s. March 17 was deemed St. Patrick’s day as legend claims it is the day that St. Patrick passed.
It only became a day of parades and parties once it reached America. In America, the religious connotations of the holiday were lost as people started to acknowledge their Irish peers instead of recognizing the spread of Catholicism.
The holiday is also celebrated in Japan, Canada, and Australia with festivals and ceremonies. On St. Patrick’s Day, over 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed worldwide.
Leprechauns also made their way into the Irish holiday once the celebrations reached America. Although there is no direct connection between St. Patrick and Leprechauns, both are significant symbols of Ireland’s culture.
In Ireland, leprechauns are folklore characters that represent good luck and fortune, which is where the modern idea of St. Patrick’s day originated.
Leprechauns, in Irish tradition, are depicted as red little men, but due to the modern view of Ireland, the bright red switched to a famous green during the 20th century.
Due to shamrocks and little leprechauns, St. Patrick is remembered through bright green colors across the world.