Saint Patrick’s Day is a day celebrated in Ireland and many other English-speaking countries.
Read the following article about St. Patrick’s Day. Then answer the reading comprehension questions below.
St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday celebrated in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick. It is a very important day in Ireland and has become a popular holiday all over the world.
It is not known exactly when St. Patrick was born or when he died, but it is believed he lived around the years 390-490. He is celebrated in Ireland because he is credited with bringing Christianity to the island. He traveled to Ireland as a missionary and had success in converting the people to the new religion. St. Patrick reduced paganism in Ireland and popularized Christianity in the country. March 17th is believed to be the day that he died and thus is the day of the celebration in his name.
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a religious and national holiday. Traditionally the Irish attend a church service in the morning and then have celebrations in the afternoon. Considering this holiday falls during the days of Lent, it has also been a tradition on this day to abandon the normal sacrifices of this time. In 1903 St. Patrick’s Day was made a public holiday in Ireland.
In 1995, the government of Ireland established the St. Patrick’s Day Festival. This is a festival designed to give more exposure to Ireland throughout the world and to organize various activities. The goal is to,
—Offer a national festival that ranks amongst all of the greatest celebrations in the world and promote excitement throughout Ireland via innovation, creativity, grassroots involvement, and marketing activity.
—Provide the opportunity and motivation for people of Irish descent, (and those who sometimes wish they were Irish) to attend and join in the imaginative and expressive celebrations.
—Project, internationally, an accurate image of Ireland as a creative, professional and sophisticated country with wide appeal.
http://www.stpatricksday.ie/cms/history_stpatricksday.html
St. Patrick’s Day Around the World
In 1737 the Irish immigrants began publicly celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the United States with a parade in Boston. Soon it would be an important day with parades in many of the major cities. Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by many Americans, both Irish and non-Irish. As well, it is celebrated all over the world in places such as Canada, Japan, Spain, and Russia.
How is St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated?
In the United States and Canada, St. Patrick’s Day has become a day to celebrate all things Irish. Many people wear green clothing and colour their food or drinks green. One popular tradition is to drink green beer. In many large cities there are St. Patrick’s Day parades and ceremonies. The largest parade is in New York City and it usually has over 2 million spectators. Most people enjoy the day with friends and family at St. Patrick’s Day parties. Many of the decorations and clothing are green and feature the two main symbols of Ireland: The shamrock and the leprechaun.
The Shamrock
The shamrock was believed to be used by St. Patrick to symbolize the Holy Trinity. The three petals were symbols of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existing together in one body. Later, the shamrock was adopted as a symbol for Irish nationalism against the English. In modern times, the shamrock is the most well known symbol of Ireland throughout the world. Therefore, on March 17th it is common to wear shamrocks or use shamrock decorations.
The Leprechaun
A leprechaun is a mythological character in the form of a tiny man. He is dressed in green, with a top hat. Leprechauns are symbols of good luck and fortune. The story is that they will lead a person to the end of the rainbow where they will find a pot of gold. Some enthusiastic people dress like leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day.
In North America, St Patrick’s Day has become known as one of the most fun and light-hearted holidays. In Ireland, the holiday still has strong religious connections and remains one of the most important holidays of the year. Whether recognizing the religious ties of St. Patrick’s Day or simply wearing green and having a good time, this is a day that can be celebrated by everyone throughout the world.
Answer the questions from the information in the reading.
St. Patrick's Day Reading Quiz
St. Patrick’s Day