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I Never Knew This About St. Patrick's Day

non-Jew knows all about Hanukah, Purim, Passover, and Easter. All of those celebrate important events in the Jewish faith, and it's great to be able to share that knowledge with others.
jrstephens
7,133
Shhhhhh- don't tell my husband the HISTORY teacher! HA!! I have never cared for St. Patrick's Dau, so I never searched out the beginnings of it. I got this in my email daily devotional yesterday.

"Do not be conformed to this world . . . ."
- Romans 12:2

What Can Happen!

St. Patrick's Day was originally a special day that honored a man through whom the Lord did an incredible work. Around the year 390, Patrick was born into a Christian family in Britain. At age 16, his village was raided by the Celts and he was captured and taken to Ireland where he was sold as a slave to one of the tribal chiefs. He eventually escaped from his captors and returned to Britain. Years later, Patrick had a dream in which he saw Irish children begging him to bring the gospel to them. He took this as a sign of God's calling, and, in 432, he returned as an ambassador of Christ to the very land from which he had once escaped.

Little is known about what happened next, but, just a few years later, most of Ireland had converted to Christianity. Close to 300 churches were established and roughly 120,000 people had been baptized as Christians. This work had an ongoing impact as Ireland became the major center for the translation and preservation of Scripture. There's no telling how many souls were eternally affected as a result of the work that God did through Patrick. Consequently, the church in Ireland decided to set aside the day of his birth, March 17, by tradition, in honor of his service for the kingdom.

How things have changed! For many, this day has become an excuse to get drunk in public. Two years ago, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) calculated that there were 72 alcoholrelated car crashes on Saint Patrick's Day. Another study revealed that on St. Patrick's Day, drivers face a 23% increase of being injured or killed by another driver under the influence of alcohol. This digression serves as a warning of what can happen when worldliness goes unchecked. Whether it's a holiday or a human heart, the world has the ability to ruin something that once stood for the glory and grace of God. The church at Corinth knew this all too well. And it's something that we must be on guard against lest we become "just like them."

What does the decline of today's holiday demonstrate?

How will you share the truth about this holiday's origins?
 
His birth name was Maewyn Succat... Personally, I'd prefer Patrick as well.

I knew the history of St. Patrick, but only because Veggie Tales did a show about him in The Sumo of the Opera! Gotta love Veggies!!!
 
st patricks day is my birthday.

last night we were "celebrating" at a local bar & i felt "compelled" to tell as many people as i could about saint patrick himself.

i guess you could say that although i was adding to the stereotype of the holiday - i was doing my best to inform the other celebraters that this too is a religious holiday. ;)
 
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katie0128 said:
I knew the history of St. Patrick, but only because Veggie Tales did a show about him in The Sumo of the Opera! Gotta love Veggies!!!

I have got to get my little boy interested in them. He loves Clifford and will not watch anything else. Atl east it does teach right from wrong but I would love for him to love biblical cartoons that much.

We do have some Hermey & Buzzby dvd's that he watches.
 
The oldest DS was scared of Veggie Tales when he first saw them! He hid in his room. Now we hardly ever turn them off... unless DD (the 2yo princess) wants to watch "eh-e" (short e sound, then long e sound) ~ Little People. She loves Clifford as well, but loves her "Eh-e" the best!
 
More St. Pat's facts: When people refer to St. Patrick as "chasing the snakes out of Ireland," they are referring to the pagan religions, which worshipped snakes. I thought that was pretty neat!

On a completely different note, I was Bat Mitzvah on March 17, 1978. That's probably the only reason I remember the date!

Finally, as an outsider, I think it's a shame that so many saint's days have been trivialized or just plain forgotten, right along with elevating the importance of Hanukah because it's close to Christmas.

Ok time to get off the soapbox and plan my 3-2-1 for tonight :)
 
I agree with you, Susan.

I'm not Jewish, but used to work with a gal who was. I learned a lot about the history of the holidays from Heidi and the meaning behind some traditions. I used to ask Heidi lots of questions and am always surprised when others are shocked that a non-Jewish person would know (what I think should be common knowledge) things like what Hanukah means, why Passover is celebrated, etc., etc.

It is very sad that in a country where we have so much religious freedom, so many people chose to forget what many of our ancestors believed in... and believed so strongly about that they paid for it with their lives.
 
susanr613 said:
More St. Pat's facts: When people refer to St. Patrick as "chasing the snakes out of Ireland," they are referring to the pagan religions, which worshipped snakes. I thought that was pretty neat!

On a completely different note,
I was Bat Mitzvah on March 17, 1978. That's probably the only reason I remember the date!

Finally, as an outsider, I think it's a shame that so many saint's days have been trivialized or just plain forgotten, right along with elevating the importance of Hanukah because it's close to Christmas.

Ok time to get off the soapbox and plan my 3-2-1 for tonight :)
Is that when you became officially batty?

Mazoltoff!
 
Nah, the batty-ness emerged much later!

BTW, it's Mazel Tov, but nice try, KG!
 

1. What is the history behind St. Patrick's Day?

St. Patrick's Day is named after Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is celebrated on March 17th, the day of Saint Patrick's death in the 5th century. It became an official holiday in the early 17th century and has since evolved into a celebration of Irish culture and heritage.

2. Why is the color green associated with St. Patrick's Day?

The color green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because it is the color of Ireland's lush landscapes and clovers, which are said to have been used by Saint Patrick to explain the Holy Trinity. It is also the national color of Ireland.

3. What are some traditional foods and drinks associated with St. Patrick's Day?

Corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and shepherd's pie are all traditional foods associated with St. Patrick's Day. As for drinks, Guinness beer and Irish whiskey are popular choices for celebrating the holiday.

4. Why do people wear shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day?

Shamrocks are a symbol of Ireland and are said to have been used by Saint Patrick to teach about the Holy Trinity. Wearing a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day is a way to show pride in Irish heritage and culture.

5. How is St. Patrick's Day celebrated around the world?

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, not just in Ireland. Parades, festivals, and parties are common ways to celebrate. In some places, buildings and landmarks are lit up in green and people may also wear green clothing or accessories to show their Irish spirit.

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