Everything You Need to Know About St. Patrick’s Day

Many of the holidays we celebrate have clear meanings and origins. Others, we may be a little fuzzy on. Take St. Patrick’s Day. Do you know what it is about, and why it is celebrated? If not, you’re in luck? (See what we did there?) Here’s everything you need to know about the holiday:

Who was St. Patrick?

St. Patrick was born in Great Britain during the fourth century to wealthy parents. According to History.com, at age 16 he was taken captive by Irish raiders. He was held in captivity and turned to religion for solace and became a devout Christian. Patrick returned to Britain and became a priest and was sent to Ireland to convert the Irish.

Two fun facts about Patrick – he didn't lead all the snakes out of Ireland, and he was never formally canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. After helping spread Christianity throughout Ireland, he was proclaimed a saint by popular acclaim since there was no formal process for canonization when he died.

Why is St. Patrick's Day celebrated on March 17?

March 17 is the day St. Patrick is believed to have died.

When were St. Patrick's Day celebrations started?

St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated since the ninth or 10th century. The first St. Patrick's Day parade occurred on March 17, 1601, in St. Augustine, Florida. The parade was organized by the Spanish Colony's Irish vicar Ricardo Artur. New York City's first St. Patrick's Day parade was in 1772 as homesick Irish soldiers marched through the city.

Since those humble beginnings, the celebration has grown with large parades in many major cities like New York, Boston and Chicago

Why do we wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

For one, it's to avoid the leprechauns. The green makes one invisible to them so you don't get pinched by the cheeky fairies.

However, the color green is a rebellious way for Ireland to claim their saint. St. Patrick's original color was blue. However, the Irish used the color of green – the color of the shamrock St. Patrick used to describe the Holy Trinity.

Green is also a sign of Irish defiance from England. The color was then weaved into St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the United States after Irish immigrants arrived in the 1800s.

Why do we eat corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day?

According to thekitchn.com, corned beef in the 19th century was a luxury item in Ireland. Most Irishmen ate a salted pork akin to bacon. When families migrated to the United States, the salted pork was too expensive, but the corned beef wasn't. It was the Irish Americans' consumption of it along with cabbage – which was the cheapest vegetable – that led to the traditional meal.

You can read the full article here.

Now you are ready to celebrate! So, grab your green, check out your local events calendar, and this March 17, may the luck o’ the Irish be with you!