Celebrations of March 17th as St. Patrick's Day began in the 700's as a traditional Catholic Holy Day. And strict Catholics around the world do remember St. Patrick with an early Mass on March 17th. But for many, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday that celebrates Irish pride and the beginning of spring. This goes along with the tradition of wearing green on the day, because green is both the color of Ireland as well as the color which signifies life and growth. If you desire good luck for the coming spring, you should "be wearin' a touch o' the green"!
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide by the Irish and those of Irish descent -- everyone else just becomes "Irish for the day". In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday with many businesses being closed on the day. Major celebrations take place in Dublin and in most other Irish towns and villages. In recent times, the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Dublin have been extended to a week-long event called St. Patrick's Festival, encompassing a spectacular fireworks display (Skyfest), open-air music, street theater, and a traditional parade.
In other parts of the world, especially the US and Canada, St. Patrick's Day is widely celebrated, but it is not an official government holiday. St. Patrick's Day was first observed as a holiday in the United States in 1737, well before the Revolutionary War. The US was still under the authority of the British, and even though many of the Irish had not yet arrived to our shores, St. Patrick's Day was still considered a very important holiday.
New York started the first parade in honor of St. Patrick and as a result, St. Patrick's Day parades are popular all across the globe. After Dublin, the largest parades of recent years have been held in New York City and Birmingham, England. Most of the cities that have a large Irish population celebrate St. Patrick's Day with parades. Parades also take place in other centers, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, and throughout the Americas.
So, with one day to be Irish, take advantage, and have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day.
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