St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, the saint's religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. 

St. Patrick's Day celebration

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast--on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

What do people do?

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and organizations. Many people wear an item of green clothing on the day. Parties featuring Irish food and drinks that are dyed in green food color are part of this celebration. It is a time when children can indulge in sweets and adults can enjoy a “pint” of beer at a local pub. Many restaurants and pubs offer Irish food or drink, which include:

§  Irish brown bread.

§  Corned beef and cabbage.

§  Beef and Guinness pie.

§  Irish cream chocolate mousse cake.

§  Irish coffee.

§  Irish potato champ, also known as poundies, cally or pandy.

§  Irish stew.

§  Irish potato soup.

Some people plan a pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Purgatory, which is commonly associated with penance and spiritual healing since the early 13th century. It is on Station Island in Lough Derg in County Donegal where St Patrick had a vision promising that all who came to the sanctuary in penitence and faith would receive a pardon for their sins.

¿What is the history of St. Patrick's Day?

St. Patrick's Day was originally founded as a religious holiday honoring Ireland's patron saint. St. Patrick is known for converting many of the Emerald Isle's citizens to Christianity in the 400s. After his death, Irishmen established an annual holiday on March 17 marked by church service and prayer to honor his life. 

                                                                                         St. Patrick's Day over the world

Over the centuries, Irishmen migrated to far corners of the world spreading their culture. Soon, St. Patrick's Day became an internationally celebrated holiday. Today, however, the holiday focuses less on religion and more on food, drink, and festivities. Additionally, the holiday is not only celebrated by Irishmen, but by people from a multitude of ethnic backgrounds looking for a fun time. As cities across the world plan their St. Patrick's Day celebrations, each interprets the holiday a bit differently. 

St. Patrick's Day Celebrations in the United States

The St. Patrick's Day we know was widely shaped by American adaptations of the holiday. In fact, citizens of Ireland have even modeled their celebrations after those seen in America. This Americanized view of St. Patrick's Day typically includes parades, libations, fare, and decorations themed around leprechauns, pots of gold, and shamrocks.                                       
Bibliographieshttp://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/Geography-Of-St-Patricks-Day-Celebrations.htmhttp://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/st-patrick-dayhttp://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day