Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17th to commemorate St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, who is said to have introduced Christianity to Ireland and spread it. It is celebrated on March 17th because that’s the day that he passed away. Unbeknownst to many, it originated as a religious holiday for the Catholic Church and all of its followers. However, now, it is acknowledged by people from around the world.
The activities and traditions for this holiday consist of playing the bagpipes, participating in parades, and indulging in all kinds of Irish culture. Notably, one of the most known traditions is to sport the color green even though originally the color blue was the one chosen to celebrate St. Patrick. Although many stick to wearing green accessories or clothes, some take it a step further, dying food, hanging up green decorations, and even dying lakes or large bodies of water. In fact, each year, the Chicago River and all of its 156 miles, is dyed green – this lasts a few hours and it fades over after a couple of days. Even though the Chicago River is most well-known for its vivid dye, other cities participate in it as well, including San Antonio, Washington D.C., Charlotte, and Tampa.
Despite the fact that in contermporary society Saint Patrick’s Day is simplified, at first, the day was celebrated with religious feasts and ceremonies that were in pure honor to St. Patrick. Some customary symbols of today, such as the leprechaun and the cliché of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, are directly credited to old Irish folklore which tells of the stories between the two. Over time, the effects of popularization have swept some of the original details under the rug. Nonetheless, the intriguing holiday stands today as one of the best renowned and established festivities.