Saint Patrick is considered the patron saint of Ireland. On March 17, every year for many centuries, the Irish have celebrated the day of their patron saint. Reliable data on the origin of St. Patrick is not, according to the fragmentary information that historians have discovered, it is generally accepted that he came from an English, very religious family. Patrick's grandfather and father were confessors …
Instructions
Step 1
Tradition has it that at the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped and bought as a slave by an Irish landowner. For 6 long years he was tending sheep and daily frenziedly prayed for deliverance from slavery and for patience to wait for this day. Further, the legend says that one night Patrick heard a voice that prompted him to flee. Taking the words he heard as an order for action, the young man made his way to the sea and saw a ship standing in the roadstead. Patrick asked the captain to take him with him.
Step 2
Upon arrival in his homeland, in England, Patrick realized himself as a deeply religious Christian, began to delve into religious dogmas, spent several years in Galilean monasteries, where he was allegedly ordained to the rank of bishop. St. Patrick devoted himself to missionary work, sometimes performing the rite of baptism up to a hundred times a day. His fiery speeches and disinterestedness encouraged the Irish to convert to Catholicism. Preaching among the pagans, St. Patrick, using the example of a shamrock (clover), was able to explain the essence of Christianity: faith in the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Soon, the three-leaf clover will become the symbol of Ireland.
Step 3
One of the most beautiful legends says that St. Patrick, with his fortitude and faith, drove all the snakes out of Ireland, but this is most likely an allegory, since in Ireland there were no snakes by definition due to the climate. The expulsion of snakes symbolizes the expulsion of the pagan Druidic god Cernunos, who was portrayed as a large snake.
Step 4
Before the appearance of St. Patrick in Ireland there were already Christian missionaries, but St. Patrick remained in the memory of the Irish as a zealous Catholic and doer of various miracles. Therefore, the day of the death of St. Patrick's Day - March 17 has been widely celebrated in Ireland for several centuries. Previously, it was a purely religious holiday, during which all pubs were closed, liturgies and masses were served in cathedrals. Believers spent their time in prayers of repentance.
Step 5
Over time, the feast of St. Patrick increasingly took on a secular image, more and more became a national holiday-festivities, and only deeply believing Catholics begin the holiday with a divine service in the cathedral.
Step 6
All over the world, St. Patrick is considered a revered saint. In Ireland, everywhere on St. Patrick's Day, folk festivals are held with processions in national costumes. The Irish wear kilts, according to the pattern of the cage, one can determine belonging to one or another clan. The people are singing and dancing incendiary jig. The procession of piper orchestras makes an absolutely stunning impression.
Step 7
Already the United States claims to be the first to celebrate St. Patrick, claiming that the first procession in honor of this day took place in New York and Boston in 1762. Irish historians explain the holding of this procession by the fact that in these cities there were large diasporas of Irish people who took to the streets to protest against England. At this time, Ireland was already under the yoke and rule of England.
