Sunday, March 17, 2013

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This is the American Holiday in which everyone wears green and parties!



Here is what it says on History.com:

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, the saint's religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast--on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

A Religious Holiday??

Hard to see that with all the parades and parties!!

So first---Who is St. Patrick?


According to Catholic.org, 

He was born to roman parents in 5th century Great Britain and when he was about 14 was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland to herd and tend sheep.

Ireland at this time was the land of druids and pagans, but Patrick was a Christian.
While being held captive he would pray to God, and he wrote these words:

"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same." "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

When he was 20 God spoke to him in a dream telling him to escape by the Coast, which he did and he returned to Great Britain.

Back home he studied to become a priest, and then later became a bishop.
He would dream that the people of Ireland calling to him:  "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more."

He returned to Ireland and preached and converted many entire kingdoms to Christianity.  He preached for 40 years and performed many miracles.  He lived in poverty and suffered greatly and he died March 17, 461.

There are many legends surrounding St. Patrick, such as how he used the shamrock's three leaves to explain the Holy Trinity.  

You can learn more at:  History.com and Catholic.org


So it is interesting....how this annual Christian celebration is today, rarely recognized for its Christian roots.


In other words, 


How did This:





Become This??











7 comments:

  1. Great post! :D
    But isn't it an Irish Holiday, not an American one? O.O

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    Replies
    1. it is Irish, but it is a big party thing in the US

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  2. I have a Christian blog too, if you'd like to check it out:

    peacelily-silverdawn.blogspot.com

    It's actually not a Christian blog - all religions welcome, but I post Christian sort of stuff :)

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  3. I've posted this sort of thing on my blog too! Sorry it looks a lot like your post DX
    I used yours as a reference but I guess all the facts are the same o.o

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  4. feel free to borrow anything from any of my blogs!!!!XD

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  5. I don't know if you know this or not but Valentine's day was really named after a saint named St. Valentine. If you don't know you can keep reading this: Legend says that during St. Valentine's time in 278 there was an evil ruler named Claudias who didn't believed in love and banned marriages or engagements. St. Valentine, finding this very unfair, held secret marriages for young lovers. But when Claudias had found out, he held him in jail and decided to have St. Valentine executed. Soon the day was February 14th, St. Valentine was about to be executed, but before his death, he had written a letter to his lover and signed "Love, From your Valentine." There the tradition was born.

    ReplyDelete