The Quad

Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Features

Finding a leprechaun and his pot of gold has always been a favorite activity for little kids, and even some adults, on St. Patrick's Day. But, does anyone know what a leprechaun has to do with the holiday and why American's celebrate the day of the luck of the Irish?

"St. Patty's Day," celebrated on March 17, is a modern secular holiday based on the original Christian saint's, St. Patrick's, feast day, and the date of his death in the fifth century, according to the History Channel's Web site. Irish families traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. People celebrate by dancing, drinking and feasting on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and a well-known figure in the Christian religion. However, his life is somewhat of a mystery. The stories told about him, such as his banishing of all the snakes in Ireland, are false.

He had a troublesome childhood, including being taken as a prisoner at age 16 by a group of Irish raiders who attacked his family's estate. After escaping the imprisonment at 22, a voice spoke to him, which he thought was from God, and told him to escape Ireland.

After walking about 200 miles and ending in Britain, another voice, supposedly of an angel, spoke to St. Patrick and told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Upon his return, he started religious training for more than 15 years. Once he was ordained a priest, he was sent on a dual mission: to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish, according to www.history.com.

Patrick incorporated traditional rituals into his lessons of Christianity instead of "eradicating native Irish beliefs." For example, since the Irish honor their gods with fire, Patrick used bonfires to celebrate Easter. He also superimposed a sun onto the Christian cross to make what is know known as the Celtic cross.

Today, St. Patrick's Day is a huge celebration for everyone in the United States, even those who do not have any ounce of Irish blood in them. Everything from parades and pot of gold hunting to parties and green-colored foods and drinks encompass the holiday.

The first St. Patrick's Day parade was started in the United States in 1762. Irish soldiers, who were serving in the English military, marched the streets of New York. It helped to reconnect them with their Irish roots as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the army. Because of this incident, Irish patriotism flourished within American immigrants.

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