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Today more about saint Patrick because 17th March tomorrow - it is Saint Patrick's Day - Irish national Holiday!

ABOUT SAINT PATRICK

The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship.

Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God.

He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity.

His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland.

Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity.

His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.

Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated.

Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Of course, no snakes were ever native to Ireland, and some people think this is a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday.

One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston.

Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring.

IRISH SYMBOLS

Irish Flag

The Irish Flag has three vertical strips of green, white and orange and was first used in 1848. It's colours held important significance for the political situation in Ireland at the time. The green represented the Catholic majority while the orange was the colour of the Protestant population. The middle stripe of white symbolised a hope of peace or unity between the two.

The Shamrock

Simply put, a shamrock is a single-stemmed plant with three leaves growing from that single stem. It grows in quantity on the hills of Ireland. More importantly, it has become a kind of unofficial symbol of Ireland, featured on postcards and souvenirs.

It was probably made most famous by St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland. He used the shamrock to help explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity to the pagans, in his quest to bring Christianity to the country. Today, it remains a strong symbol of his life in our yearly St. Patrick's Day celebrations, on the 17th of March. Most Irish people will wear a small quantity of shamrock on that day and many will engage in the time-honored tradition of "drowning the shamrock" - taking a few drinks (preferably Guinness) in the local pub.

The Celtic Cross

This large cross is a mixture of the traditional Christian cross and the pagan worship of the sun. Each cross is intricately carved with images from the Bible and Celtic symbols like knots and spirals.

The Leprechaun

Th legend of the leprechaun has never quite left Ireland. Traditionally dressed in green with a cocked hat and leather apron, he is about 2 feet tall and possesses a pot of gold. If you can find a leprechaun and keep him in your sight he must tell you where the gold is. While many have claimed to see a leprechaun (usually after a long day in the pub!) his existence has yet to be proven.

The Harp

The harp has long been the traditional symbol of Ireland. The musicians of ancient chieftains played the harp and today we'll see it on coins, the presidential flag, uniforms, state seals and so on. The Celtic harp is said to stand for immortality of the soul.

The Claddagh Ring

Probably the most famous of Irish jewellery, the Claddagh ring has a long and rich history. Earliest examples of the ring date back to the 1700s and link the ring to the ancient fishing village of Claddagh just outside the walls of the City of Galway.