Photo: PETER MUHLY / AFP / Getty Images
The history of St. Patrick’s Day dates back more than 1,000 years to the ninth or 10th century, when it began as a religious feast day in Ireland to honor
The History of the Holiday
- The Man Behind the Day: St. Patrick was a fifth-century missionary born in Roman Britain. At age 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and enslaved in Ireland for six years as a shepherd. He later escaped but returned to Ireland as a priest to spread Christianity.
- A Religious Origin: Originally a solemn Catholic feast day, it was observed with church services and a reprieve from Lenten restrictions on eating meat and drinking.
- An American Influence: Many modern secular traditions, including parades, began in North America with Irish immigrants in the 17th and 18th centuries. The first recorded parade actually took place in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1601.
- The Meaning of March 17: This date is believed to be the anniversary of St. Patrick's death in 461 AD.
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