Let's say...: marca 2021

Undoubtedly, everyone goes a bit Irish on March 17^th because

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the world!

St. Patrick is the best recognized saint and Ireland's most famous patron. According to a legend, he brought Christianity to the island, popularized the clover and freed Ireland from snakes (they symbolized evil). It was assumed that the snakes were a metaphor for the paganism.

He was probably born in 385 in Britain. At the age of 16, the boy was kidnapped and then transported to Ireland, sold as a slave and then worked herding sheep (as a shepard).

During this period he was particularly inspired by God, and with his help he escaped from the island at the age of 20. He received a message from God to convert pagan Ireland to Christianity.

St. Patrick, with the help of a clover, explained the unity of the Holy Trinity (God the Father, the Son of God, the Holy Spirit), the Celts believed that each leaf of the clover mattered, so using the plant to learn about religion was a good idea. St. Patrick founded several churches, schools and monasteries, and the clover became a well-known symbol.

March 17^th is considered the date of the Saint's death and has been celebrated in Ireland for about 1500 years.

The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, drinking and a whole lot of green, which is pouring out on the streets: hair, clothes and even meals are green. As long as you use the green dye, you can serve food on St. Patrick's Day. Rivers, monuments and other buildings get green. All this to commemorate the Saint.

Besides drinking and wearing green, attending the parade is the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Interestingly, the largest parades take place outside Ireland, as Irish immigrants take the holiday very seriously.

Have you ever seen a leprechaun?

According to the Irish folklore the leprechauns - “little people” collect coins in large pots–the famous “pots of gold”. The Americanized, good-natured leprechaun soon became a symbol of St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general. Leprechauns aren’t beautiful like other fairies. They wear green suits and look like little old men. They are mischievous and like to play practical jokes on people. When they aren’t playing tricks on people, they make and fix shoes. They also hide their pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Legend says that if a person captures a leprechaun, the leprechaun has to grant them three wishes.