May the best day of your past,

Be the worst day of your future!

 

This year, while I was contemplating this page, I decided to write about the
obvious. So, St. Patrick is what this year's page is about; enjoy!


In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday, rather like Easter
and Christmas. They have masses, parades, community feasts, and more.

The American version of the celebration is held in Ireland as well,
but more as a tourist attraction, and as for wearing green, well,
any American school child will tell you that the wearing of green will help
you to avoid a pinch, which is our unique addition to the holiday.




As for St. Patrick himself, who was he, and what is there to know
about him? Well, we know that he was born within' a 20 year
period, sometime between 370 and 390 A.D.

He was either born in Wales, or Britain, a few have
even said Scotland, but that is considered less likely.

His name was very probably, Maewyn Succat, Patricius being
his Romanicized name, taken on after he became a priest,
later in his life, which explains the name Patrick, later on.

Son of Calpurnius, an army officer, a band of pirates landed in
south Wales and kidnapped he, and others, when he was but 16 years old.
They were then sold into slavery in Ireland.

There he remained for 6 years. It was said that this is
when he began to talk to God, and pray as he tended
the sheep at night. It was also said that he either dreamed
of having seen God, or that God actually spoke to him while he
was awake, and that at that time he was told by God
to escape in a ship, which he did.

Ending up in France, the northern coast of Gaul, he joined
a monastery and studied under St. Germain, the bishop of Auxerre.
He spent around 12 years in training, and when he became
a bishop he dreamed that the Irish were calling him back to Ireland
to tell them about God.

It was documented in The Confessio, Patrick's spiritual autobiography.
There, a dream was written about, telling how one Victoricus delivered
him a letter headed "The Voice of the Irish."

People weren't sure that he was ready, but he set out for Ireland
with the Pope's blessings after St. Palladius, who had been appointed
to go to Ireland, transferred to Scotland after only two years.
Patrick was somewhere around middle age when he arrived
in Ireland, and it was his personality that first won over the people
he went to convert to Christianity. He was confident in the Lord,
and managed to baptize with a great sense of purpose.
Knowing how to have the elite accept and allow him in the
countryside, he gave gifts to some of the kings and law, but
never took any in return.

An active preacher, he even made key converts in royal
families. But, not everyone approved, and he was arrested
several times, escaping every time!

In the 20+ years that he traveled throughout Ireland, he successfully
established monasteries across the country, as well as setting up churches
and schools, and developing a native clergy.

He died on March 17, 461 A.D. after retiring
to County Down, and the day has been commemorated
as St. Patrick's Day ever since.



It was in Boston, in 1737, that immigrants really first shared
the holiday with Americans publicly; though the Irish
communities in various cities had celebrated the day
much as they had in their homeland all along,
with attending mass, social and community works,
feasting, promoting their culture, charity work, and more.

Gradually, other places followed Boston. It was New
York that had the largest St Patrick's Day parade.
Held since 1762, the New York City parade on St Patrick's Day
now attracts more than one million spectators a year!

Chicago began coloring their river water green in 1962,
when 100 pounds of green vegetable dye was added
to the water; enough to keep it green for a week.
It is still done, but now, 40 pounds of a green food
coloring keeps the river green for only a few hours.

And, while there is a deeper religious meaning to St. Patrick's Day,
this holiday is very much about fun, as well. The joy of being Irish.
The music, twinkling Irish eyes looking for the green, shamrocks,
dancing, delicious food, and remembering, or learning, all things Irish!



May you have:

A world of wishes at your command,

God and his angels close at hand;

Friends and family their love impart,

And Irish blessings in you heart!