Why do we celebrate saint Patrick's day?

Question

what is the story ?

Answer 1

Because of Saint Patrick! He was a Christian missionary in early Ireland who converted many many of the Irish. The holiday was made to honor him.

Answer 2

In all fairness, if you heard he either a) destroyed a culture, or b) killed his sister, I would be interested in where that information is coming from. From what I know of the story (which includes reading translations of the two letters that he wrote which have survived) he had some great sin he was sorry for back prior to be kidnapped by pirates who sold him into slavery in Ireland (the kidnappers are generally thought to be Irish, traditionally the Irish king Niall of the Nine Hostages), which since it isn't named could very well be something like murder, but any stories that state that with certainty are mere legends, no more certain than the shamrock-Holy Trinity analogy.

With regards to "destroying a culture" he was not the first Chrisitan in Ireland, and much of the island remained pagan for a while after him. He was the most successful individual evangelist in Ireland, but he did not even convert the majority of the island. Furthermore, it was Christian monks in the centuries after Patrick that preserved the legends and myths of that culture. The religion changed, over time, but the culture was actually fairly well preserved, though to some degree altered (as always happens when two cultures meet). If you want someone to blame for "destroying Irish culture", the English are a better target, specifically from the late 16th century to the early 20th century, when such things as the near elimination of the Irish language as a spoken, living language occurred.

Finally, with regards to him being Welsh, that part is most likely true (although he could've been Scottish too). However his ministry was among the Irish, especially to women and slaves, which his six years as a slave in Ireland made him especially aware of. The Christian Irish felt he was someone to be honored, and that tradition continues through, especially among Catholics today. As to the American celebrations, there are a lot of people of Irish descent over here, and it became so strongly associated with the Irish that it became a sort of "celebrate Irish culture" day. In the process, some of the negative stereotypes of the Irish (specifically heavy drinking) began to be celebrated and practiced.

Sorry that that was a bit long and off-track, but I felt I should respond to the previous comment in the process.

Answer 3

The individual above is laboring under a common misconception. St. Patrick DID NOT DRIVE THE SNAKES out of Ireland because there were NO SNAKES IN IRELAND! It's a myth. St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland (he was a Christian missionary) and that is why they honor him. Why we do in this country, I have no clue, other than many immigrants were Irish back in the 1700, 1800, and early 1900s. Why this has turned into such a huge holiday here in the USA, I really don't know, but like most holidays, it's overblown and has nothing at all to do with the real meaning of why it was celebrated int he first place.

Answer 4

It's actually not as big a celebration here in N.Ireland as people would think . It's celebrated mainly in the Republic of Ireland and in the US.
The "snakes" he drove out of Ireland were the Druids and for this reason as well as the fact the St.Patrick came to Ireland and destroyed a culture, some people choose not to join the celebrations and instead wear a black armband and more recently something symbolising a snake on the day as a way of honouring and mourning those who died as a result of his interference.
I personally can't see why he should have been revered as a saint , a shining example of christianity and all that is good when he destroyed a culture that was working fine without him and also for the reason that he killed his own sister.
Only in Ireland could they make a saint out of someone who wasn't even Irish to begin with, he was Welsh.

Answer 5

St. Patrick is believed to have driven the snakes from Ireland. Once a pagan himself, St. Patrick is one of Christianity's most widely known figures.

The modern secular holiday is based on the original Christian saint's feast day also thought to be the date of the saint's death. In 1737, Irish immigrants to the United States began observing the holiday publicly in Boston and held the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City in 1766.

Today, the tradition continues with people from all walks and heritages by wearing green, eating Irish food, and attending parades. St. Patrick's Day is bursting with folklore; from the shamrock to the leprechaun and to pinching those that are not wearing green.

Answer 6

I never celebrate this day because i don't know what it means?