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St. Patrick`s Day

by Lucas Rigamont Braganca on 2023-03-17T00:00:00-07:00 | 0 Comments

Saint Patrick's Day, on the 17th of March, is a national holiday commemorating Ireland's patron saint. It is a religious and cultural celebration honouring the martyrdom of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Due to immigration, Canada, like many other countries, has adopted the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day as an important cultural holiday.

Why We Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick served as a bishop and missionary for the Christian church during the fifth century. He is widely credited with introducing Christianity to Ireland and influencing the spiritual transformation of the Irish people. He used to teach the Irish that the shamrock's three leaves represent the Holy Trinity.

Saint Patrick's Day was first a religious holiday, but in the 17th century, it was made a national holiday in Ireland. Before the twentieth century, the holiday was observed exclusively within the context of religious rituals and feasts.

Why St. Patrick's Day Is Big in Canada

Canadians of Irish ancestry and those who enjoy a good party celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver are just a few cities hosting St. Patrick's Day parades, complete with marching bands, floats, and dancers. Canada has a long tradition of celebrating Saint Patrick's Day with parades, concerts, and festivals featuring traditional Irish food, music, and drinks. Guinness and other Irish beers are served widely, and pubs and restaurants often have menus with an Irish theme.

For Canadians, St. Patrick's Day is a chance to educate themselves on Irish heritage and traditions. Irish cultural events, such as concerts, lectures, and art exhibits, can be found regularly at local libraries and community centers.

 

Items for Reading

Many books can enlighten you on the origins of Saint Patrick's Day and Irish culture and history more generally. Some ideas are as follows:

Cover ArtHow the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill

Call Number: DA930.5 .C34 1995
ISBN: 0385418485
Publication Date: 1995-02-15
In this delightful and illuminating look into a crucial but little-known "hinge" of history, Thomas Cahill takes us to the "island of saints and scholars," the Ireland of St. Patrick and the Book of Kells. Here, far from the barbarian despoliation of the continent, monks and scribes laboriously, lovingly, even playfully preserved the west's written treasures. With the return of stability in Europe, these Irish scholars were instrumental in spreading learning. Thus the Irish not only were conservators of civilization, but became shapers of the medieval mind, putting their unique stamp on western culture.
 

Cover ArtDubliners by James Joyce; John Kelly (Introduction by)

Call Number: PR6019.O9 D8 1991
ISBN: 0679405747
Publication Date: 1991-11-26
This collection of short stories by James Joyce perfectly captures the spirit of Dublin and its inhabitants at the turn of the twentieth century.
 
 

Cover ArtThe Story of the Irish Race by Seumas MacManus

Call Number: DA912 .M32 1966
ISBN: 9780341981077
Publication Date: 2018-10-10
MacManus covers the entire history of the Irish people, from their earliest ancestors to the present day.

In conclusion, celebrating St. Patrick's Day is part of Canadian culture, and there are many ways to celebrate the holiday and learn more about Irish culture and history, whether you are of Irish descent or want enjoy the festive atmosphere.
 


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