Sunday 17 March is Saint Patrick’s Day, a day which has a rich and fascinating history dating back centuries.
Saint Patrick was born around 386 CE in Roman Britain. It is thought that this is possibly the area that is today known as Wales. He was enslaved and taken to Ireland, where he spent six years in captivity. He then escaped, only to later return to bring Christianity to the people of Ireland.
During his life, Patrick became a priest and founded schools, churches, and monasteries throughout the Emerald Isle before his death on 17 March, 461 CE. That is why 17 March is the official date of St Patrick’s Day. Though never canonized during his lifetime, it is thought that the “Saint” prefix is something that has caught on over time.
Perhaps more so than any other equivalent day, St Patrick’s Day has a global feel.
It has been suggested that the day has been celebrated as early as the ninth or tenth century. The first St. Patrick's Day parade actually took place in 1601 in Florida. So, it is an event with a diverse cultural history.
As St. Patrick’s Day falls during Lent, it became a day for Christians to take a break from the abstinence practiced during the weeks leading up to Easter. Throughout the centuries, it has become more associated with a good time than its traditional meaning, and has spread worldwide.
St Patrick’s Day traditions in America stretch back to the 1730s in Boston. New York and Chicago have hosted parades since the 1800s.
If you’re celebrating here in Bracknell Forest, we wish you a safe and prosperous St Patrick’s Day.
