Irish Holy neerlandica origin
On 17 March the world celebrates St Patrick’s Day.
The feast honoring the patron Saint of Ireland — St. Patrick — has gained popularity in most countries of the world, and he became one of the main symbols of the country. However, St. Patrick was not only an Irishman by birth, but his name received.
Interesting facts about one of the most popular holidays in the world — in the collection “News”.
Letter for St. Patrick’s
In fact, according to historians, the future St. Patrick was a Roman. In Ireland he first came against their will — 16-year-old boy who lived in Roman Britain, kidnapped by a gang of robbers from the country. When Patrick was brought to the territory of the state, he was sold into slavery.
According to the “Confession” of St. Patrick, one of the main (and very few) sources of information about his life, the future Saint was illiterate, though descended from a rich family.
In slavery, St. Patrick was six years old. And he constantly prayed until I heard the voice of God pointing at the speedy release.
Holy actually managed to escape and return to his homeland, where he later entered the priesthood, and with it the name of Patrick. However, for a long time in Britain, he did not stay — in the dream an angel appeared to him Victorice (it is considered that so Patrick called St. Victor). In his hands the Holy saw a few letters among them, including one addressed to him. The letter asked the Irish to come back. Because of this, Patrick went back to Ireland, where until the end of his life managed to convert to Christianity by several thousand people. The Saint died on March 17 in Ireland, but neither the year of his death nor the place of his burial was never installed.
Clover – symbol of Ireland
One chance in a thousand
Originally, the holiday was of ecclesiastical origin. However, in social events, dedicated to the patron Saint of Ireland, pagan and Christian symbols are mixed up. Integral elements of the celebration were the image of wizard-leprechaun and Shamrock.
How the clover became a symbol of the main Irish holiday is unknown.
Because in Ireland itself it is not a government symbol, it image no coins or banknotes, or stamps, although he represents the country on the coat of arms of the United Kingdom.
According to one version, Patrick could use a plant to talk about the Holy Trinity. However, confirmation of the historians this version is not found. But popular associated with the Shamrock legend, it is said, discovered in the St. Patrick’s Day four leaf clover, find happiness. However, the chances of finding such a sheet is estimated at approximately 1:10 000.
Other symbols of the holiday was fantastic and all the characters come from ancient Irish tales, leprechauns.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all of us ! 🙂 pic.twitter.com/Q5WABWswPy
— ?PiKCeL®? (@PiKCeL) 17 Mar 2017
The Louvre for a leprechaun
By themselves, the leprechauns are not good and not evil, but ancient storytellers gave them valuable for humanity as magical beings can fulfill the desires of those who can catch them. They are portrayed usually in the form of little men of advanced age, dressed in green costumes. Are these men and “night” relatives — cluricaune: in contrast to the leprechauns, they are always Moody and not portrayed with a pot of gold, and with a wine jug.
In this case, before coming to Ireland of St Patrick leprechauns were higher — but, as in the country growing influence of Christianity, the size of men, attributed to them in legends, gradually decreased.
However, it did not affect the popularity of the leprechauns among celebrating the day of the patron Saint of Ireland. In 1948 in the us city of Portland Park was opened in the leprechauns “endsa mill”, which was also officially recognized as the smallest city Park in the world. Its area is only about 0.3 square meters, and placed it at the site, previously intended for placement of a street lamp. And in the capital of Ireland, Dublin, in 2010 opened an interactive Museum of leprechauns and other characters of local folklore, which local media called the Louvre of leprechauns.
Blue or green?
The religious holiday St. Patrick’s Day began in the early seventeenth century (although to celebrate this day, the Irish began in the IX—X centuries ecah), and an official holiday in Ireland and the UK he was found in 1903. Since then, however, much in the tradition of celebration had changed.
Originally the color blue was considered Holy. And only with time (and with the spread of holiday) he transformed into a green, which matches the color of its two main attributes — the Shamrock and the leprechaun costume.
Originally Saint Patrick’s Day was a holiday exclusively to the Church, until 1970 on this day in Ireland were closed all the pubs. The ban was lifted after the parallel with the religious holiday began to increasingly spread and the secular. Today on this day the world is consumed more than 5 million liters of beer.
The World’s going Green for Saint Patrick’s Day 2017. ?? ☘ great game pic.twitter.com/HzWeXaE5EU
— Irish Unity (@IrishUnity) 16 Mar 2017
Green river and parade in Argentina
Over time, the festival began to exist in two forms — secular and religious. And if the dates of the Holy day depend on the calendar — in particular, from the dates of lent and Easter, a secular holiday celebrated on 17 March consistently or in the next day to this weekend.
In Ireland, the biggest celebrations are held in the town of Downpatrick, which is considered one of the most likely places of burial of the Saint. However, the first parade in honor of him was held not in Ireland but in new York in 1762 when Irish soldiers marched through the city in a solemn March. The first parade in Dublin was held until almost two centuries later — in 1931. Headed by defence Minister of the Irish free state Desmond Fitzgerald.
Now parades, but this time not military — are in most countries of the world.
The procession takes place even in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. It takes place on one of the Central streets of the city and is very popular. So, in 2006, it was attended by about 50 thousand people. Moreover, neither the representatives of the local Catholic Church, nor in fact the Irish Diaspora in his organization did not participate.
The shortest parade in the world takes place in the Irish countryside, Dipsi, where people just drive about 90 m between two local pub. In the U.S. Chicago, March 17 (or in the next to this day is the weekend) in honor of St. Patrick’s dyed green river green river. In Malaysia, in honor of the Irish Saint carried the ball.
In Russia, the first parade in honor of St. Patrick took place in 1992. 1999 in March, also held music festival “St. Patrick’s Day”, which takes place not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also in a number of Russian cities, including Kaluga, Dubna, Kirov and Yekaterinburg.