Saint Patrick's Day: all about this celebration
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th, a very important date, especially in Ireland, being the main holiday there. Some of its characteristics are:
- numerous parties;
- the biggest street parades;
- the famous green beer;
- the symbol of the three-leaf clover, the Leprechaun, among others.
Learn more interesting facts about St. Patrick's Day below.
What is celebrated on Saint Patrick's Day?
The
Saint Patrick's Day celebrates the death of Ireland's patron saint, Saint Patrick.
Ireland is the main country where St Patrick's Day is celebrated, and it is a national holiday there, representing an important milestone for its culture and history. This is because March 17th is the day its patron saint died, known for bringing the Catholic Church and religion to the pagan Celts of the region.
It goes without saying that this date is celebrated worldwide by descendants of Irish people, including in North America. This celebration involves many traditional parties, which also attract many tourists annually.
Learn a little more about the history of Saint Patrick below.
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Who was Saint Patrick?
Although there are many stories about this important saint, what is known for sure is that he was born in Great Britain at the end of the 4th century. Until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan, meaning he was a follower of a religion that does not adopt baptism or adheres to polytheism (a belief that admits more than one god).
At this time, he was then sold as a slave to the people living in Ireland. During his period of enslavement, he began to turn to the Catholic religion, and after escaping from prison, he studied in a monastery for 12 years. It was then that he discovered his vocation was to convert pagans to Christianity.
From this discovery, he went to various monasteries, always being successful in his mission, even though he was often arrested and later managed to escape. After spending 30 years fulfilling this work, he went to County Down (Northern Ireland), where he remained until the day of his death, on March 17, 461.
Today, St. Patrick's death and his image are not only recognized for their historical value but also for his return after slavery, always conveying his beliefs.
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What are the symbols of Saint Patrick's Day?
Saint Patrick's Day is marked by various traditional Irish symbols.
Saint Patrick's Day has several symbols, which are:
- The shamrock
They say the saint used a shamrock as a symbol representing the Holy Trinity. Furthermore, this plant was considered sacred in Ancient Ireland, as it indicated the beginning of spring.
- The leprechaun
Studies relate the representation of the leprechaun to Celtic folklore, which was characterized by fantastic creatures like this. However, this symbol only started to be effectively used in 1959, when Walt Disney released the movie "Darby O'Gill and the Little People", which featured a very cheerful leprechaun as a character.
- The Celtic Cross
When Saint Patrick was on his mission to convert pagan Celts to Christians, it is believed that he united the cross of Christianity with the solar cross (a strong symbol of Ireland) and thus originated the Celtic Cross, one of the most memorable symbols of the celebration.
2 options for making green beer for Saint Patrick's Day
This iconic drink can be prepared in several ways. See below.
- Option 1: beer and food coloring.
HOW TO MAKE IT:
- In a glass, add 4 to 6 drops of green food coloring to your beer.
- It's important that you do not stir the beer at any point, so the color doesn't disappear.
- Option 2: beer and wheatgrass powder.
PREPARATION METHOD:
- Add a tablespoon of wheatgrass powder to your beer, so it becomes not only colorful but also healthier.
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