CELEBRATING A SAINT: A look at origins, evolution of St. Patrick’s Day

How did a fifth-century priest become the reason to celebrate by wearing green, drinking beer, and looking for a leprechaun who knows where to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

IRELAND IS AN INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY AND IT IS, TRULY, VERY GREEN. IF YOU SAILED FROM THIS SHORE, YOU WOULD HAVE A DIRECT ROUTE TO THE UNITED STATES. Jean Knouse/INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA

Story and photos by Jean Knouse

St. Patrick died on March 17, 461 A.D. in Ireland. At the time, no one celebrated his death. Today that day is celebrated worldwide in different ways. There are, essentially, two kinds of celebrations: A religious one and a secular one. Some folks conflate the two, but there are distinct differences. It is not possible to prove — with absolute certainty — many of the events attributed to St. Patrick. According to History.com, his birth name was Maewyn Succat — Patricius was the Romanized version. He was born around 380 A.D. somewhere in what is now Great Britain. Historians say his father was a senator or deacon in the local government. Some in his family had embraced Christianity and the family was not poor. There are two surviving documents that scholars accept as having been written by Patrick: The Confessio

CONTINUED ON PAGE 43 MetroCreative library PERHAPS SOMEONE’S WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF ST. PATRICK CREATED THIS “LIKENESS.” THAT PERSON GOT ONE THING WRONG: ST. PATRICK WAS ORIGINALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLOR BLUE, NOT GREEN.

and the Epistle to Cortices. Most of the verifiable information about him comes from these sources or from very early scholars who wrote during Patrick’s lifetime or shortly after his death. In the Confessio, Patrick writes that when he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates. He was held in rural Ireland for six years and during that time he guarded the sheep in the fields. It was during the lonely hours of isolation and captivity that he accepted Catholicism. Patrick writes that he escaped from Ireland on a boat with a reluctant captain who feared arrest if they were caught. Returning to the land of his birth, Patrick committed to his faith by studying in his homeland and on the continent to become a cleric. When Patrick made the decision to return to Ireland as a missionary, he wrote, “Every day I keep expecting to be murdered, assaulted, sold back into slavery or some such thing.” It is impossible to verify some of the legends surrounding Patrick’s life. There were never any snakes in Ireland, so he certainly didn’t chase them out. Most scholars believe this story may be symbolic of a dream Patrick might have shared with others. Many speculate that Patrick was symbolically chasing the pagans out of Ireland; but, there were no snakes. As a visitor to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland, I was told Patrick was able to convert the local pagan chieftains and their followers at the village well. Since every local drew their water from this well, it is here, the guides say, that Patrick laid the foundation for his ministry. While Dublin was his “home base,” Patrick did travel throughout Ireland to preach the word of God. It is appropriate to note here that Patrick often provided gifts to the chieftains and leaders in Ireland, but he never — as far as anyone has suggested or proven

— accepted any in return. Like St. Francis of Assisi, this man of God from a wealthy family seems to have accepted his poverty as appropriate to his mission. Patrick was not the only Christian cleric in Ireland in the fifth century. He may not have even been the first. However, he came to be known as the “Apostle of Ireland” and he is the primary patron saint of Ireland. However, Patrick was never canonized; he lived before the laws governing canonization were established in Rome. TIMELINE Nevertheless, by the seventh century he was ● March 17, 461: Patrick dies in Ireland. recognized as a Saint in ● During the 9th or 10th centuries, Roman the Catholic Church and Catholics begin to hold a feast day on March 17. the Eastern Orthodox ● During the early 19th century: Drums and Church. bagpipes were added to celebrations THE DAY’S HISTORICAL ● 1848-1852: An Gorta Mor, the Irish Potato Famine, CONTEXT killed 1,000,000 men, women, and children. Another The holiday itself has 1,000,000 people became immigrants - many came to also taken on changes in the United States. throughout history. ● March 17, 1762: “The first New York City St. Adrian Mulligan, Patrick’s Day Parade was comprised of a band associate professor and of homesick, Irish ex-patriots and Irish military chair of the department members serving with the British Army stationed in of geography at Bucknell the colonies in New York. This was a time when the University, said that the wearing of green was a sign of Irish pride, but was holiday became very banned in Ireland.” nycstpatricksdayparade.org politicised in Ireland due ● 1948: President Harry Truman attends the St. to British colonialism. Patrick’s Day Parade in NYC. “The thing with St. ● 1962: Chicago dyes the Chicago River green. Patrick’s Day,” Mulligan ● 1970s: Ireland allows pubs to be open on St. said, “is that it became Patrick’s Day making it less of a religious holiday. more than a religious ● 1995: Ireland begins a national campaign to attract celebration in the context tourists to the Emerald Isle. — HISTORY.COM of British colonialism in Ireland, when the British drove the Catholic

PARADE SCHEDULE Church underground ● March 12: Scranton’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 10:45 to celebrate when “Everyone is Irish.” ● March 13: Wilkes-Barre’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 2 p.m. ● March 17: The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade will travel up 5th Avenue and pass St. Patrick’s Cathedral. alongside any ideas of national independence.” It again took on a new essence of freedom when Irish immigrants began arriving in the U.S. “In the United States,” Mulligan said. “Especially amongst the Irish diaspora, St. Patrick’s Day exploded in the new found freedom people had.” Mulligan also said certain American traditions also traveled back to Ireland as part of the holiday. “The parade is an Irish American tradition for example, but it was exported to Ireland in the 20th century, after we (Ireland) won our independence from the British.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Legend credits St. Patrick with teaching the doctrine of the Holy Trinity by showing people the shamrock, a three-leafed plant. He used it, scholars suggest, to illustrate the Christian teaching of three persons in one God. This story first appears in writing in 1726, though it may have been referenced earlier. The shamrock has since become a central symbol for Saint Patrick’s Day. Since we understand the value of symbolism in “teaching,” it is an unverified legend that has merit.

— JEAN KNOUSE

MetroCreative Library

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Maighread Kelly grew up in Antoine in County Westmeath, a community at the very center of Ireland. Her husband Oliver grew up in Midleton in Cork. They moved to the Danville area in 1993. When she was in school, Maighread said she learned about the history of St. Patrick and the day was celebrated as a holy day. “Growing up we learned Patrick was a slave, had a vision and was called to convert the Irish. As the Druids were the main lawmakers and influencers at the time, Patrick chose to use their ‘idols’ to advance his Christian beliefs.” Maighread said that wells were used as “gathering places,” and that St. Patrick “called them holy wells. To this day, people hold mass and devotions at Holy Wells especially around St Patrick’s Day.” Due to it being considered a holy day, the children also had the day off. “But,” she said. “(We) were expected to attend Mass wearing something green and someone usually fastened a bunch of shamrock to our coats — with a St. Patrick Day badge.” The shamrock signifies “the trinity the mystery of three people in the one God.” Maighread said. “That symbol of the shamrock is very prolific in Irish culture.” The day also was celebrated during the week of Lent, she said. “We were allowed to break our fast of giving up sweets or candy for Lent and eat some sweets. Lunch or dinner at my home consisted of boiled bacon and cabbage with potatoes. Dessert was always green white and gold to commemorate Patrick and the Irish flag.” Maighread also said “Small town parades were held with the local farmers bringing in tractors and animals to walk through the town accompanied by Boy Scouts or other organizations.” Though parades then were simple, she said, “in recent years, (parades) have taken on a different tone with a lot more fanfare.” Maighread and her husband have attended the parade in New York City. Oliver has attended the St. Patrick’s Day parades in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. While the parade in WilkesBarre was festive, she said “he thought the parade in Scranton celebrated the exuberance of the Irish quite well.” IPA

Photo Provided

OLIVER AND MAIGHREAD KELLY LIVE IN RIVERSIDE AND OFTEN VISIT FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN IRELAND.