Spanish
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th, not only in Ireland, but in many parts of the world, and it's not just about drinking beer, but about many other traditions that we are going to tell you about in this article.
So before you go out to celebrate with friends, keep reading to find out why it is celebrated, where it comes from and how you can celebrate it, beyond the traditional beer.
Why St. Patrick's Day is Celebrated
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and he precisely died on March 17, which is why Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on that specific day. But who was Saint Patrick?
Well, it seems he wasn't Irish nor was his name Patrick. His origins are a bit hazy. It is known that he was born in the year 387 in some place in Scotland with the name Maewyn and that he was kidnapped when he was just a child by Irish pirates who sold him as a slave. He worked as a shepherd in Ireland until he managed to escape to France and prepared to be a Christian priest. It is said that he returned to Ireland and spent many years establishing schools, churches, and monasteries, working for the spiritual life of Ireland. He was named bishop of Ireland and established strong ties with this land.We recommend reading:Minister Santos presents mining modernization and strategic progress in rare earths in Toronto
He died on March 17, 461 in Saul, Downpatrick, in Northern Ireland. He was officially considered the patron saint of Ireland in 1780. And the feast of Saint Patrick's Day became an emblematic date for the Irish.How St. Patrick's Day is celebrated around the world
Saint Patrick's Day is not just any holiday, and you'll realize this when you read how this holiday is celebrated in many places around the world. In fact, it has even been celebrated outside the planet Earth. The members of the International Space Station have given a nod to this joyful festivity.
It is true that Saint Patrick's Day is historically celebrated in Ireland, but the first big parade for this day was not long ago. It took place in 1996 in Dublin.Parades
Furthermore, it's not the only place in the world where the saint is honored with a parade. Precisely the world's largest parade for St. Patrick's Day is not held in Ireland but in New York, where there are many Irish immigrants. More than 2 million people attend each year.
The Chicago River's Green
In Chicago many parties are held in honor of Saint Patrick, but the most curious thing is that they dye the river green. They started doing it in 1961 by pouring a green dye into the river, but it lasted more than a week.
Afterwards, they have improved the technique and the dye they use, which they say is of plant origin, and it first turns orange until it heats up and the green appears. The truth is that it is not very clear what components they use, although what is certain is that it has become so media-hyped that you will see it every year in the press.Is St. Patrick's Day Green?
The color green has become popular on St. Patrick's Day. In fact, green beers are sold during the celebration. But it seems that the real color was blue. Although it is clear that green has won the battle lately. The most famous symbol of this day is the green shamrock, and it seems to come from the fact that Saint Patrick himself used the three-leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Saint Patrick in Spain
If you want to experience Saint Patrick's Day in a big way, you don't have to go to Dublin, Chicago, or New York. In Spain, there are also many towns and cities that celebrate this day with great enthusiasm: Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, or Seville join the Saint Patrick's Day celebrations, illuminating some of their most emblematic buildings in green.- The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona joins the cause by dressing its pubs in green.
- Madrid celebrates the St Patrick Day Festival, which welcomes all lovers of punkfolk and punkrock, Guinness beer and the most Irish atmosphere.
- Zaragoza organizes its Irish Culture Days, cinema, music and literature.
- Valencia takes advantage of the coincidence with the Fallas to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the pubs.
