Saints Authentic Jersey, March 17th is fast approaching. A day when a sea of green can be found in many pubs around the world, when Guinness and Irish Cream are the drinks of choice, and thousands of people line the streets to watch a parade and celebrate the Patron Saint of Ireland. In order to properly celebrate the Saint and his achievements in Ireland, one must first know a little bit of history about Saint Patrick and how Saint Patrick\'s Day is celebrated around the world.
Saint Patrick\'s real name was not Patrick and he was not from Ireland. Maewyn Succate, as his real name is believed to be, was actually born in a village called Bannavem Taberniae that is believed to have been on the south-western shore of Great Britain. As a teenager he was captured and forced into slavery, but eventually escaped. He Saints Authentic Jersey became a Bishop in 432. St. Patrick succeeded in converting Ireland from Paganism to Christianity by speaking Irish Gaelic, understanding Pagan rituals and relating them to Christian beliefs. Two of the greatest myths about him are that he used the pagan symbol of the Shamrock to explain the Christian belief of the Holy Trinity, and that he drove all the snakes from Ireland. There is no evidence in his writings to support the shamrock story and scientists are sure that there never were any snakes in Ireland. The snake myth was likely due to symbolism, as serpents were associated with the Pagans.
Saint Patrick died March 17th, 461 at the age of 76. Before his death, he asked that his body be put on a cart drawn by two oxen and wherever they stopped Saints Authentic Jersey was where he should be buried. His wishes were followed and his remains were buried where the oxen stopped, on Cathedral Hill in Downpatrick County Down, North Ireland.
The day of his death, March 17, became the day to celebrate the Saint in Ireland and across the globe. As people emigrated from Ireland, they took the celebration with them. Over 70 million people worldwide claim some Irish ancestry. A large group of these people live in Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand. Whether claiming to have Irish ancestry, or just wanting to take part in the festivities, here are a few things to do this March 17th to be Authentically Irish.
Originally a religious holiday, Saint Patrick\'s Day became a public holiday in 1903. It remains a religious day of observance in Ireland for the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church. The first Saint Patrick\'s Day parade that was held in the Irish Free State was in Dublin in 1931. By the 1990\'s the Irish government began to use the day to promote Ireland and its culture. Most Irish cities have a parade with the biggest held in Dublin followed by the second biggest in Downpatrick where Saint Patrick is believed to be buried. Great Britain celebrates the day with parades and Saints Authentic Jersey festivals as well. Birmingham holds the largest parade in Britain. It is the third largest in the world after Dublin and New York. London, Manchester, and Liverpool also hold large celebrations. The Queen Mother used to present sprigs of shamrock flown in from Ireland to the Irish Guards. They still wear them to this day. Saint Patrick\'s Day has become an unofficial holiday in Canada and the US. In Canada, the largest parade is held in Montreal. They have occurred there every year since 1824, but people have been celebrating the Saint there since 1759. Many other provinces also hold Saint Patrick\'s Day parades and festivals. The first parade in New York City occurred in 1762. With few exceptions, the parade has been held there every year since 1766. The New York Parade is the largest in the world. Take part in the celebrations, whatever the location!
Canada is known for its hockey. From 1919-27 the Toronto Maple Leafs were known as the Toronto St. Patrick\'s and they wore green jerseys. In 1999 the Leafs had a game on Match 17th and wore green retro jerseys. The Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors also don green uniforms for Saint Patrick\'s Day.
Referred to as the Emerald Isle, Ireland is known for its green scenery and the color green has become associated with the country. Many people outside of Ireland will be wearing green on Saint Patrick\'s Day. Everything from green shirts and hats to novelty hats, necklaces, glasses, and more. Some only wear green in fear of being pinched if they don\'t! There are some cities that even paint their streets or dye their rivers green. As early as the 17th century, people wore green ribbons and shamrocks in celebration of St Patrick\'s Day. However, the only green worn in Ireland on March 17th is a sprig of shamrock on their lapel. The color green is connected to the old flag and a time when Ireland was not free. Some people also believed that it was unlucky to wear green as it was the color of the \"Good People\", another name for fairies. Anyone who wore too much green, especially children, would be taken away. Despite the popularity of the color green, the color associated with Saint Patrick is actually blue.
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