On this day, everyone likes to wear green and pinch those who don’t. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in honor of Ireland’s patron saint. According to the article “St. Patrick’s Day in America” by Jakie Petito, he “brought Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century.” March 17 marks the day associated with his legacy, it represents the spread of Christianity in Ireland.
Origin of St. Patrick’s Day
The way St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in the United States is different from how it used to be. However, the differences are not extreme, just a few noticeable changes. Today, common symbols include leprechauns, parades, and the color green. Parades, for example, have been part of the celebration since March 17, 1601, when one was held in St. Augustine.
Leprechauns are also a well-known symbol of the holiday. According to Erin Blakemore in “Is Shamrock a Myth? The Truth Behind 5 St. Patrick’s Day Symbols,” the modern image of the leprechaun is a “far cry” from its origins. Originally, leprechauns were said to wear red, not green, and their stories date back to medieval times.
They did not become a worldwide symbol until Walt Disney popularized them after visiting Ireland and inspiring the film “Darby O’Gill and the Little People.” In the film, the leprechaun is portrayed as a trickster dressed in the now-familiar green outfit with a yellow waistcoat and buckled shoes.
Another common symbol of St. Patrick’s Day is the shamrock, often confused with a four-leaf clover. Around this time, people search for four-leaf clovers because they are believed to bring good luck, although they are rare. According to Bess Lovejoy of the Smithsonian Institution, shamrocks themselves are not a specific plant but rather a general term, and their connection to clovers developed later. Erin Blakemore also explains that St. Patrick supposedly “used the three-leafed plant to explain the Holy Trinity while preaching,” but historians generally agree that this story is likely a myth.
