The History Behind St. Patrick’s Day Spiritual Meaning

Americans often celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green, kissing the Irish, and drinking a tall glass of beer. It’s been a popular holiday celebrated in the U.S. since the Charitable Irish Society of Boston organized the first observance in the Thirteen Colonies in 1737. However, what is often lost is the St. Patrick’s Day spiritual meaning and significance.

Every year, March 17 marks the death of the fifth-century patron saint, Saint Patrick. For over a thousand years, the day has celebrated the late saint with a religious feast. According to Irish Central, St. Patrick was a missionary who became an adored figure for Irish Catholics.

Have you ever wondered, “What is St. Patrick’s Day celebrating?” The holiday observes the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has evolved greatly over the thousands of years that it has been celebrated.

St. Patrick’s Day origin came from the fifth century in Ireland. Saint Patrick, who is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle, was credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Brought first as a slave to the nation at 16 years old, then returning after his escape, Saint Patrick’s life became ingrained in Irish culture.

Since the ninth or 10th century, people in Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic holiday. However, how we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today, with parades and celebrations, originated in America.

According to the History Channel, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched to honor the Irish patron saint in New York City on March 17, 1772. The popularity of the march grew among Irish settlers, and enthusiasm for the holiday grew in New York City, Boston, and other early American cities.

While St. Patrick’s Day is a Christian holiday, the holiday was designed to coincide with and replace the pagan holiday known as Ostara (via Greek City Times). Ostara is a spring festival that celebrates the rebirth of nature before the spring equinox on March 22.

Besides some basic traditions and parades, the modern Irish celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day heavily include live sporting events. Every year, the finals of the All Ireland Club Championship for hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football take place on March 17.

St. Patrick’s Day is rich in traditional symbolism, similar to other popular holidays. These symbols carry rich meaning and representation of the different aspects of Saint Patrick’s life and Irish culture. According to Henderson Independent News, prominent symbols include green, shamrocks, leprechauns, snakes, and Celtic knots.

Initially, blue was the color associated with St. Patrick. However, green eventually overshadowed blue’s historical significance. Green became popular due to its connection with the lush Irish landscape, agriculture, and the shamrock.

The three-leaf clover is arguably the most iconic symbol of St. Patrick and Ireland. The Legend of Saint Patrick says that the saint used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity as three figures in one entity to the pagans he was converting.

Perhaps the more fun symbol of St. Patrick’s Day is about mischievous little leprechauns. The shoemaking creature from Irish folklore is not directly connected with St. Patrick has become a popular figure in modern times.