Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Posted by Angie Ryman on 18th Mar 2016

Saint Patrick

Hi everyone! Welcome to my first educational blog. I decided to write once in a while to share interesting facts about jewelry or in this case, holidays and why celebrations came to be. I bet many of you don't really know the true meaning behind St. Patrick's Day. Saint Patrick was born in 462 A.D. to a Christian family in Scotland who had Roman citizenship. At the age of 16 he was captured by Irish marauders. For 6 years, he was forced to be a herder in Ireland and his Christian faith was his only comfort during this time. He finally escaped and got on a ship back to Scotland and was reunited with his family.As he grew older he began studying for the priesthood and was ordained in 433. He felt a calling to go back to Ireland and teach them his faith, It is said that he would baptize hundreds of people on a single day. Patrick died on March 17, 461 in Saul Ireland where he had built his first church. The Irish began observing the day of his death as a religious holiday, and still do to this day. To them he really was a saint. They celebrate with a church service and food and drink afterward.

St. Patrick's Day traditions

To the Irish, the 3 leaf clover represents the Holy Trinity of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, That is why you usually associate this day with the clover and see it everywhere on clothing and in jewelry representing St, Patrick's Day. The first parade to celebrate St. Patrick's Day was actually held in the United States, not Ireland surprisingly, when Irish soldiers who were serving in the US military marched through the streets of New York in 1762. Soon they got bigger and bigger around the world and now we celebrate not only the remembrance of what Saint Patrick did but as a celebration of the Irish-American heritage. Many celebrate by wearing green clothing and having a green beer to toast the luck of the Irish. Don't worry, drinking is not required lol. Tradition says you must wear green on this day or risk being pinched.There is a reason for this. Rumor has it the fae folk cross into our world and they cant see green so if you wear it you're safe from their mischievous ways! They like to play tricks on us and if you do not wear green they like to pinch since we cant see them, and then you think someone around you pinched you. But you never know if it was a human or fae so remember to wear something green on you today :)