Patrick is an Irish Orthodox saint. Saint Patrick's Day - honoring the patron saint of Ireland

Each country has its own patron saint, who on a certain day (usually the day of death or elevation to the saints) lavish festivities are held. For Ireland, St. Patrick is of such importance, who is very revered by the whole country and by the Irish living abroad. on a certain day, people can see a unique procession, a masquerade, timed to coincide with the day of the saint. This holiday is celebrated annually on March 17th. Celebrations are mainly associated with Irish culture - on this day, the Irish wear green clothes or accessories of this color. Religious services are held in churches. This day is officially considered a holiday.

People all over the world celebrate St. Patrick's Day, especially in places with large Irish-American communities. Even if you do not belong to the Irish nationality, this will not prevent you from participating in a bright holiday in honor of the saint. Traditional Irish dishes are served on this day, including corned beef, coffee, soda bread, potatoes and shepherd's pie. Cafes and restaurants offer a traditional Irish breakfast with sausage, black and white pudding, scrambled eggs and fried tomatoes.

The main action takes place on the streets - parades are held. The scale is different in different cities. Cities that hold big, colorful and tastefully costumed parades are Boston, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans. Of course, let's not forget about the major cities of Ireland - Dublin, Cork. Since Ireland is a predominantly Catholic country, its inhabitants, both within the country and abroad, observe fasting. In the days before Easter, it is forbidden to drink alcohol, and this ban can be violated only on March 17th.

By the way, one interesting detail is connected with this - the liquid is colored green. Green beer is served in pubs, in Chicago, where many Irish people live, the river of the same name turns green. Even the fountain of the White House can turn green on this day. Having become a little acquainted with the feast of St. Patrick, the question involuntarily arises - and who was this very Patrick? Why is he famous and why is he so revered by all the Irish in the world?

About him early life virtually nothing is known because many details of his life have been lost. The exact place and time of his birth is also unknown, but some historians suggest that he was born in the family of a deacon in Britain. When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. The young boy, who had previously ignored God, is gradually converted in captivity and becomes one of the most ardent preachers. Many years later he fled and returned to his family in Britain, then returned to Ireland for missionary work after finding a position as a clergyman and later as a bishop.

The symbol of Patrick is the shamrock, a plant that personifies the Trinity. In addition, according to legend, the Saint performed miracles, for example, he delivered Ireland from snakes. During the post, he was attacked by creepers, but was able to fight back and drive them away to the coastal zone. We admit that most likely this is only a legend, since snakes have not been found in Ireland since the post-glacial period.

The history of St. Patrick's Day and why it is celebrated

St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in America in 1737, organized by the Benevolent Irish Society of Boston, including a holiday and a religious service. The first celebration of this holiday in the colonies was devoted mainly to Irish culture, since it was from Ireland that the colonists came to America at that time. In New York, the first celebration took place as a small gathering in the home of an Irish Protestant.

St. Patrick's Day parades began in New York City in 1762 when a group of Irish soldiers marched down Broadway. The parade has since featured military personnel dressed in national uniforms. Gradually, the holiday turned from a modest religious dinner into the very bright and unforgettable masquerade that we know today.

World Parades and St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

Parades and the tradition of wearing green flowers have always been a traditional part of St. Patrick's Day celebrations, but the details depended on the city.

In Boston, the St. Patrick's Day celebration draws over 600,000 visitors. The city hosts one of the largest parades in which many veterans take part, as well as various entertainment events in Irish pubs. in Irish cultural center hold celebrations, and many events serve Irish cuisine. New York City is the site of the oldest civilian parade, with over 150,000 people. It can be veterans, firefighters, policemen, cultural clubs.

It is led by the New York 69th Infantry Regiment. Another city in New York State, Pearl River has the second largest parade in the state with crowds of over 100,000 people. Buffalo hosts two St. Patrick's parades. Scranton - This parade in Pennsylvania is one of the oldest and largest. This parade has been one of the most popular since 1862 and is currently attended by around 150,000 people. New Orleans - This coastal city was the largest immigration point for the Irish. St. Patrick's Day celebrations are usually held at the community or borough level, as many Irish have gradually moved away from here to other American cities.

Of course, you can not pass by the second homeland of St. Patrick - Ireland. This holiday here is more religious in nature. In 1903, when it was declared an official holiday, the first Saint Patrick's Festival took place in 1996. Until now, the Saint remains one of the most revered on the Emerald Isle.

On March 17, Ireland celebrates a national, cultural and religious holiday - St.Patrick. In Russia, this holiday is well known, because since 1999, with the support of the Irish Embassy, the annual international festival "St. Patrick's Day" has been held, although for the first time in Moscow this Irish national celebration was celebrated in 1992. But few people know that this holiday is much closer to our tradition, in contrast to the notorious one. Since 2017, the ROC MP has been celebrating the memory of St. Patrick of Ireland on March 30 according to the new style, that is, 13 days later.

ancient saint

The Apostle of the Far West, Saint Patrick (Patrick), is one of the ancient saints who labored in the countries of Central and Western Europe before the Great Schism - the church schism of 1054, after which the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches were finally divided. Eastern Christian church practice is such that saints canonized before the Great Schism, regardless of the region in which they labored, are common saints for Christians of the West and East. That is, Orthodox Christians can pray to them, paint icons, and so on. Another thing is that not all those saints are included by the local Orthodox churches in the monastics for commemoration. And so, at the beginning of March 2017, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate included the name of St. Patrick of Ireland (along with the names of some other ancient saints) in the calendar for commemoration on March 30 (NS). Strictly speaking, this event did not become something epoch-making, as some media wrote about; on the contrary, it was just a technical moment, finally realized.

It so happened that in different countries different saints are revered more or less, someone may simply not be remembered. And therefore it is not surprising that, for example, for the Russian Orthodox Church, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called (according to legend, who was in Russia) and Saints Cyril and Methodius are closer, while Saint Patrick is very close to the Orthodox and Catholics in Ireland.

Another thing is that the celebration of St. Patrick's Day came to Russia as a secular holiday and in the format in which it was arranged by the American Irish: with green clothes, Celtic music, dancing and drinking ale. But the celebration of St. Patrick's Day on March 17 (30) always falls on, which at that time is also among Catholics. Therefore, for Orthodox Christians, the "traditional" celebration of St. Patrick's Day is unacceptable, but can be accompanied by reading the biography of this saint and reflecting on his Christian life.

The life of a saint

Almost everything that is known about the biography of St. Patrick has been preserved in his own writings and some poetic hymns created shortly after his repose. Moreover, there is not much really reliable information, but there are plenty of legends dedicated to his miraculous deeds.

Sukkat (as Patrick was called at birth) was born at the end of the 4th century in Britain into a wealthy Gallo-Roman family. Baptized with the Latin name Magon. His grandfather was a Christian priest, his father was a deacon, and his mother was a relative of Saint Martin of Tours. In his youth, the future saint was not close to the Lord. At the age of 16, he fell into the slavery of pirates and was taken to Ireland, where he became a shepherd and learned the local language. His owner, a local tribal leader, derisively nicknamed the young man Patrick, which means "noble person." In his "Confession" Patrick interpreted what had happened as a punishment from God for an unrighteous life.

Life in harsh conditions, among the pagans, made Patrick embark on the path to the true God. After six years spent in slavery, fasting and prayer, the future saint heard a voice saying that he would soon return to his native country and the ship had already been prepared. And so it happened. True, having found himself either in Britain or in Gaul (modern France), Patrick and his pagan companions were forced to wander for almost a month in search of people. Tormented by hunger, they asked the future saint to pray to God for their salvation. When Patrick did this, a herd of pigs appeared.

After wandering and various troubles, Patrick managed to return home. Soon he became a disciple of St. Herman, and in 432, already in the rank of bishop and having received a blessing, he went on a mission to Ireland.

First, the educator was met with stones. And in general, he often had to confront the stubborn supporters of paganism. When the saint, accompanied by a small clergy, was going to Tara, the former capital of Ireland, they were ambushed in the forest. Having sung the hymn-prayer "Shield of St. Patrick", they appeared to the royal soldiers in the form of a deer herd.

At that time, a great pagan holiday was approaching. High King Loegaire forbade lighting any fires until the main pagan ritual fire in Tara was lit. But Patrick and his companions kindled a huge fire on the occasion of Easter. The druid priests predicted to the king that if this fire was not put out, it would never go out. However, the king's soldiers failed to either kill Patrick or put out the fire. And the witchcraft of the Druids was powerless before the protection of God. The latter made a great impression on Loegaira, and he, along with his entire household, was baptized.

Speaking about the Holy Trinity, Patrick showed the Irish a three-leaf clover, saying that as three petals are on one stem, so God is one in three persons. The holy enlightener of Ireland died in the second half of the 5th century, different sources indicate different years. The situation is similar with the place of death and burial of St. Patrick. One legend says that in order to choose such a place, the body of the deceased was placed on a cart drawn by two untamed bulls: where those bulls stop, the Apostle of the Far West should be buried there.

More details about why the Russian Orthodox Church nevertheless decided to include the Enlightener of Ireland in its calendar and how the Orthodox believer can celebrate St. academic work and lecturer at the Nikolo-Ugresh Theological Seminary, Priest Valery Dukhanin.

Father Valery, let me ask you a few questions about the recognition of St. Patrick by the Russian Orthodox Church. As my colleague noted in his article, St. Patrick was canonized even before the Great Schism, which means that Eastern Christians can honor him for many centuries in a row. Why, then, did the Russian Orthodox Church include the Irish saint in its calendar only last year?

The fact is that to include saints in (Orthodox - approx. ed.) the calendar is always tried very carefully, because it involves prayer appeals and temple services. For a long time, there was a confrontation between Eastern and Western civilizations, and in our country, to put it simply, we were afraid to include in the calendar saints who are somehow connected with Western territories, because they saw in this some influence of Western culture and, accordingly, the Western worldview. But the saints themselves are not to blame for anything! These are saints who lived long before the separation of Catholicism from Orthodoxy, so there is no pro-Catholic ideology in the life and teachings of these saints. In fact, it is now being rethought.

- What is the reason for this?

Firstly, with the fact that now the world is becoming more and more informative. Before, when there was no Internet and so much publicly available information, there was less information. That is, it is unlikely that anyone in the 17th-18th centuries in Russia in general remembered and knew that somewhere there was such a Saint Patrick. Western saints were not included in the calendar even simply because they were not in the sphere of attention of the Russian people. They fell out of our memory, and we did not particularly turn to them in prayers. After all, saints are usually included in the calendar when there is already a more or less widespread prayer commemoration, when people strive for this. There are many saints, and people do not have time to contact all of them, they do not have time to find out about all of them. Therefore, a number of saints in some periods are forgotten. And now our culture itself is more informative, and, one way or another, all this information easily emerges. It turns out that there are many saints of ancient times who lived in the western territories, preached Christ and converted people to Him who suffered for the name of Christ. And they are really worthy of memory and reverence, and in their lives we do not see any reasons for any doctrinal stumbling blocks. This, in principle, says nothing about our attitude towards Catholicism, since we are talking about the saints of the ancient Christian church.

And why does the Russian Orthodox Church honor the memory of St. Patrick not on March 17, but on March 30? Is the choice of date according to the new style somehow connected with Lent or are there other reasons?

It is exclusively related to . According to the Julian calendar, Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, and in ancient time people followed the Julian calendar. Therefore, if Saint Patrick suffered on March 17 according to the Julian calendar, then it is supposed to adhere to this date. In this sense, the discrepancy in the days of the memory of St. Patrick is exactly the same as the discrepancy in the celebration of the Nativity of Christ and other major holidays: the difference is 13 days. That is, here we simply adhered to the Julian calendar, and did not try to somehow adjust to the days of Great Lent.

In Russia, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated since the beginning of the 90s, but precisely as a secular holiday - with a parade, traditional Irish paraphernalia, alcohol and fun dancing. Obviously, the church does not welcome this way of celebrating. What should an Orthodox Christian do who wants to honor the memory of St. Patrick?

Still in Orthodox tradition in the center of the celebration for a long time there is a prayer appeal to the saint. Of course, some kind of family holiday is possible if this family venerates the saint. More broad ways celebrations of the days of saints, which are part of the culture of the people, are formed over the centuries. If some processions, parades are organized somewhere, then this is just a gradual course of history: the people celebrate the memory of the saint in ways accessible to themselves, and then the secular component begins to prevail. But we didn't have that kind of honor history.

Do you think this saint will take root in our Orthodox tradition? Will believers turn to Patricius more often?

We are now standing at the very beginning of the glorification of St. Patrick. But if in the West he converted entire nations to the Christian faith and therefore this day is a key one for them, then in our country St. ; , with which the revival of Russian spirituality was associated; which is highly respected among our people. That is, St. Patrick's Day, of course, will not rise to such a height of already established holidays. I don't think culture will change.

How do you think, how will the inclusion in the Orthodox calendar affect the image of this saint in our minds? Will he be more respected in Russia? What does it generally affect?

Personally, I am positive about this inclusion. Let me explain why: now we, Orthodox Christians, see that there were many people who turned to God in ancient times, who professed the faith of Christ among the pagan nations and converted people to Christ - it turns out that there were many of them! And they were revealed in different parts of the planet. This means that the grace of God was not limited only to the Holy Land (Jerusalem and its surrounding territories. - Note. ed.), Asia Minor, Greece, Italy - in general, the countries of the Mediterranean. She manifested herself in different parts of the earth, and such saints appeared everywhere. I think that this feast in honor of St. Patrick speaks of the fullness of the action of divine grace at different times and that many people responded to God's call. Therefore, such changes can only be welcomed.

Many Western and European holidays for post-Soviet countries are unfamiliar and incomprehensible. These include St. Patrick's Day, which is associated with many interesting traditions. The saint to whom this celebration is dedicated is known for many miracles.

Who is Saint Patrick?

The Christian saint who is considered the main patron of Ireland is Patrick. According to existing evidence, thanks to his actions, Christianity spread to the territory of this peninsula. Revere him in different religions and communities. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of the Irish people, himself described his life in two works: “Messages to the soldiers of King Shorty” and “Confession”.

Born in the 4th century in Britain, which was ruled by Rome. Patrick's family was wealthy.
Real name is Magon. He was named Patrick by his master when he was stolen by pirates and brought to Ireland.
While in slavery, Patrick began to believe in the Lord. After six years, he decided to run away, but God appeared to him in a dream and ordered him to return to the places where he was in slavery.
In 432 he returned to Ireland, but already as a preacher of Christianity.
The place where Saint Patrick died and is buried is not exactly known, but March 17 is considered the day of his death.

What does Saint Patrick look like?

To understand what the saint looked like, you need to pay attention to the icons. They depict Patrick as an older man with a beard. He is dressed in green clothes and holds a shamrock in his hands, but there are also options where he puts his fingers in a gesture to bless people. Many are interested in why St. Patrick is green. The color is directly related to one of the main symbols of this holiday - the green shamrock.

Saint Patrick is a legend

There are many legends associated with the person of St. Patrick, which help to learn more about the life of this man:

Describing what St. Patrick is famous for, they recall an old Irish legend that tells that he drove out all the snakes from the peninsula. Allegedly, with his prayers, he first gathered all the reptiles on the top of Mount Crow, and then ordered them to throw themselves into the sea. In fact, historians say that there were no reptiles on this earth in ancient times.
Describing who Saint Patrick is, they recall another legend about the druids. The Irish believe that thanks to his prayers, he was able to defeat the dark magicians.
In another story, it is described that in one city there was a great idol of Ireland - Crom Cruach. He was considered the main deity, but when Patrick came and touched the idol with his staff, it crumbled and turned into ashes.

Saint Patrick in Orthodoxy

The notion that Saint Patrick refers only to the Catholic Church is incorrect. This is due to the fact that Patrick lived in the VI century, when the Christian Church was not divided. Saint Patrick is an Orthodox saint, and he is also revered in some Protestant churches. He is all his adulthood dedicated to spreading Christianity. They turn to him to turn unbelievers to the Lord. Saint Patrick's Day in Orthodoxy falls on March 30th.

Saint Patrick - Prayer

The most famous prayer text used by the saint is the Shield of Saint Patrick. According to legend, he, along with his comrades, went to the capital of Ireland to preach to the king. The druids wanted to attack them and ambushed them, but Patrick felt something was wrong and began to sing a prayer, which allowed them to pass unnoticed, because instead of people, the enemies saw a herd of deer. Saint Patrick's Orthodox Church is an ambiguous person, so many historians doubt that the prayer presented refers to the saint.

Saint Patrick's symbol

Many different symbols are associated with the day of this saint, which have their own history of appearance.

How is Saint Patrick's Day celebrated?

For the first time, a holiday in honor of this saint began to be celebrated in the X-XI century, and the celebration is common not only in Ireland, but also in other places where there is a large diaspora. In almost all countries, a secular holiday is celebrated on March 17th. It has been a public holiday in Ireland since 1903. It is worth noting that in the same year the state issued a law that all pubs and bars should be closed on this day, as the people sang a lot, but in 1970 it was canceled. There are many different traditions associated with how I celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Christian pilgrims climb Mount Croagh Patrick every year, where Saint Patrick prayed.
On this day, people dress in all green and attach a shamrock to their clothes.
A morning visit to the church is a must.
The holiday is also celebrated in America, where many Irish people live. On March 17, the Chicago River is dyed green. In addition, parades are held in many cities.
In ancient times, there was a ritual of drinking whiskey on Patrick's Day. A shamrock was placed at the bottom of the glass, and after drinking alcohol, it was taken out and thrown over the left shoulder.
As for leprechauns, historically they have nothing to do with this day. Entrepreneurs just needed to come up with a commercial symbol of this day, and strict Patrick was not suitable for this role, so they decided to use this fabulous creature.

St. Patrick's Day - interesting facts

There is information that is not common and may be of interest to many.

There is evidence that Saint Patrick wore blue robes, and green became associated with this day in the late 18th century.
Among famous personalities there are fans of this holiday. The celebration is celebrated by Mariah Carey's family, and all family members dress up in green clothes. Queen Elizabeth II makes a grand entrance wearing a green suit, and the Prince and Duchess take part in the parade.
Describing the facts about St. Patrick's Day, one should also mention the festive dishes. Although the celebration falls during Lent, it is allowed to eat meat on this day. According to legend, the saint himself turns meat products into fish. Traditional dishes- lamb with, bacon casseroles and potato bread.
According to legend, if a person finds a four-leaf clover leaf on the day of the holiday, he will find happiness.

St. Patrick's Day came into our lives relatively recently, and for many it is of great interest: in whose honor the holiday is named, how this day was chosen and, most importantly, how it is celebrated.

Digging in the literature and on the Internet, you can find a lot of interesting things about this holiday. Perhaps you will like it too, and another day will appear in your holiday calendar that requires special attention.

Saint Patrick's Day: when and where is it celebrated?

In Europe, this day has been celebrated since the middle of the 17th century, when it was officially recognized by the Catholic Church. First of all Saint Patrick is revered in Ireland, as he is the official patron of this country.

The date of this holiday falls on March 17- the day when the heavenly patron of Ireland left this world. The same date is considered a conditional day when this country adopted Christianity.

In addition to Ireland, this day is celebrated in many other countries, mainly in Britain and its former colonies: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries where the Irish diaspora is quite numerous.

Lately This day is actively celebrated in Russia with her love for unusual holidays; whenever possible, they try to observe its traditions, but, of course, with us it has its own color and its own characteristics.

history of the holiday

As mentioned above, the day of the death of the saint is chosen as the date of the holiday. According to legend, at birth, his name was not Patrick at all - he bore the name Magon.

This continued until the time when he was kidnapped by Irish robbers and sold into slavery, where the new owner, mockingly, decided that he would call him Patrick (from the Roman word "patrician", denoting a noble origin and estate).

During the years that Patrick spent in slavery, he believed in God and converted to Christianity. A few years later, he fled to Gaul, located on the territory of modern France, but later had a dream in which God told him to return to those places where he spent the most hard years of his life to Ireland.

He sailed to the island, became Bishop of Ireland, and spent the rest of his life there converting the Irish to Christianity and fighting the Druid priests who served the pagan cult. As legends say, he built hundreds of churches and baptized hundreds of thousands of Irish people who later became very zealous Catholics.

During one of his sermons, he plucked a green clover leaf and showed it to his flock, illustrating the trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since that time, the shamrock and green color have been the symbol of St. Patrick's Day, and no celebration or procession dedicated to this day can do without them.

There is also a funny story that describes how Saint Patrick rid Ireland of snakes by tricking one into a wooden box and throwing it into the sea. True or not, but the fact is obvious - poisonous snakes are not found in this country, despite their presence on neighboring islands.

Saint Patrick's Day Attributes

Such a holiday cannot be imagined without the appropriate paraphernalia, which is the same, perhaps, for all countries of the world. Using objects that symbolize this day, you can get closer to Ireland and feel its spirit, even being at a considerable distance from it.

Cloth

One of the main attributes of the holiday is the use of a rich emerald color, because Ireland is unofficially called the Emerald Isle. This color is used everywhere, including in clothes.

The hit of the holiday is a sweater with a huge green shamrock on the chest, it will allow you to stand out in the crowd even on this day of riot of green. If not, any other green clothing will do.

T-shirts with funny inscriptions or emblems of beer companies that sponsor this holiday in many countries every year are popular. If you don't have a green T-shirt, or office rules don't allow one, then a shirt with a thin green stripe or a green tie is fine.

For those who celebrate this day, as they say, to the fullest, we can recommend elf costume of a characteristic green color. It also includes white spats and a fabulous fake red beard, although it's possible some have their own.

Menu

The best way to try Irish holiday cuisine is to go straight to this country and taste everything as it really is, using natural ingredients and spices.

If this is not possible, traditional Irish dishes are prepared on St. Patrick's Day, such as fried chicken, lamb stew with cabbage, potato casserole with meat, pounded with cabbage and butter potatoes, black pudding and others.

Ireland has never been a rich country, so even the festive menu there does not contain exotic delicacies. Well, of course, all is washed down with ale or stronger drinks.

music and dancing

Irish dancing is known all over the world, and if you master this art, then St. Patrick's Day is a great opportunity to demonstrate it. Today, classes in many dance studios include an Irish dance program, for example, Kaylee, which is easy and can be played with friends.

If it is not possible to visit the studio, then videos from the Internet will provide an opportunity to learn a few dance steps and impress at the holiday.

Create the right atmosphere folk music, Celtic tunes, traditional pub songs. Of the modern performers, The Cranberries, Van Morrison, U2, Thin Lizzy are suitable, while the traditional direction is represented by The Dubliners, The Chieftains, Planxty and others.

Accessories

If you have no desire to dress up in green, but you want a holiday, you can create its mood with the help of characteristic accessories. You can paint your face with special paints, give strands of hair a characteristic shade, or at least pin a large shamrock to the breast pocket- the effect will be achieved.

Participation in parades or parties

If you are bored of celebrating this day alone, welcome to the parade, which can be found in any major city on this day. If you want to take action - take part in the organization, no - be an ordinary spectator and get your portion of pleasure and festive mood.

Another option to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in a noisy company, without bothering with special preparations, is to come to a bar. On this day, many establishments organize themed parties where you can have fun from the heart and until the morning.

A special offer is a trip to several bars and cafes where you can taste their menu and drink Irish beer. It is better to practice this with friends and, if possible, not get carried away, because St. Patrick's Day is not a public holiday, and tomorrow, like after any day, there will be the next and often working day.

How is Saint Patrick's Day celebrated in different countries?

As mentioned above, St. Patrick's Day today is an international holiday, and in each country it is celebrated a little differently, despite general rules and paraphernalia. The features of this action at different times and in different countries are described below.

Ireland

Here it began to be celebrated long before official recognition, since the 9th-10th centuries, when the celebration was of a folk character. Since 1903, it has been elevated to the rank of official, and this day was declared a day off.

True, in the middle of the last century, they tried to make the holiday non-alcoholic by banning the sale of strong drinks in shops and pubs, but by the 70s this law was repealed. Since the 1990s, this day has also become a day of Irish culture to promote it in other countries.

Festive parades on the occasion of this day are held in major cities as well as in the villages. They combine both secular and ecclesiastical traditions.

Great Britain

On St. Patrick's Day, there are also parades here, and in Manchester - a two-week festival. Cultural events are held, special markets are organized; in general, the scale and mood of the celebration of the Irish are almost repeated.

Argentina

Here, the Irish diaspora is quite numerous, and this is especially noticeable on March 17th. In this country, the holiday has its own characteristics - the church does not take any part in it, it is purely secular.

The largest parade is held in Buenos Aires, where the number of celebrating reached 50 thousand people, going from one Irish pub to another.

USA

The number of Irish people there has always been high, and they celebrate this day with a truly American scale. Though have been celebrating it since the 18th century, he never got into the official calendar, which does not prevent him from doing the most unusual things on this day.

For example, in Chicago on March 17 they paint the river green. It looks extraordinarily exotic, and it is simply impossible to find this anywhere else.

Canada

As in a former British colony, the number of Irish people there is quite large, and since 1824 St. Patrick's Day parades have been held there annually and in many cities.

Some public organizations still do not leave attempts to transfer it to the category of public holidays and declare a day off on this occasion.

Russia

We also have numerous parades on this day, and the number of people in green participating in them is increasing every year. Every year during this period, an international festival is also held, called "St. Patrick's Day", covering not only Moscow, but also many other cities, such as Kaluga, Kirov, St. Petersburg and others.

Well, what is St. Patrick's Day without a traditional parade. Let's see in the next video what funny "monsters" are marching through the streets of Dublin on March 17th:

The celebration of St. Patrick's Day was held on a grand scale in Moscow's Sokolniki Park. The culmination of the holiday was a costumed parade and traditional Irish dances. Although there are only a few hundred citizens of Ireland in Moscow, thousands of Muscovites gathered to watch and participate in the fun.

Irish Week is coming to an end in Moscow. Traditionally, in mid-March, celebrations are held in various parts of the world in honor of St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland. The custom is about a hundred years old, and it was introduced by immigrants. For example, the parade in honor of St. Patrick annually becomes the culmination of the holiday in the Russian capital. How everything went this time, saw our Moscow correspondent Maxim Korotkin.

Green flags, hats, scarves and other wardrobe items in Moscow in March hint at the imminent arrival of spring and remind of the Irish week. From Monday to Friday, the Irish theme does not go beyond the walls of clubs and concert halls, but on the weekend before St. Patrick's Day, it splashes onto the street not only with the bright color of the emerald island, but with everything that can be attributed to it.

MAXIM KOROTKIN, correspondent: The feast of St. Patrick was established in the 18th century in honor of the Christianization of Ireland, however recent years One hundred this day is celebrated in the world as the day of Irish culture. Therefore, if you like Irish music and dancing, if you are a fan of, for example, football "St. Patrick's" or just love Irish ale and whiskey, then you are definitely here.

Traditionally, on the weekend before March 17, a parade is held in Moscow in honor of the most famous Irish saint. This is such a quintessence of everything that the island can show the Russian metropolis. Three and a half hundred immigrants, as it turned out, are able to gather thousands of Muscovites around them.

Irish dances and bagpipes are far from being the main thing that makes up the holiday atmosphere both in the host country and at home. In scope and fun, it resembles our Maslenitsa, only on a different occasion. And that seems to be the difference.

« This is a very important day for us., - says the Ambassador of Ireland. - Why? Yes, because this is an exceptional time for which church fasting is canceled. On this day, you can drink alcohol and eat all the most delicious - for breakfast, lunch and dinner».

It is difficult to get a mug of good ale or a glass of real whiskey in a Moscow park - this is a zone free from smoking and alcohol. Therefore, the spectacle is supposed now, and bread and what is for bread, then, at home. Yes, and the Irish Ministry of Health is not something that prohibits, but warns.

KATHERINE LYNCH, Minister of Health of Ireland: You know, of course, I have nothing against this, but sometimes you still have to admit that some people abuse this permission too much. In general, in Ireland we are trying to introduce a new alcohol policy so that people are still not very addicted.

The Irish also don’t have a lot of holidays, so from the Sokolniki Park it smoothly moves to where you can more freely feel the taste of real Ireland. Irish Week in Moscow will last until March 22. During this time, the capital will host 120 events dedicated to Irish culture. Other Russian cities will also join the festival. For the first time, Yakutsk and Vladivostok will take part in the festival of Irish culture.

Saint Patrick is loved in every corner of the world, but most of all in Ireland. The people of this country consider a man from ancient times to be their patron. In the history of Christianity, it is difficult to find another such real person, whose life is a dense thicket of legends, fables and fairy tales.

Childhood and youth

The early biography of St. Patrick is mysterious and vague, based on his own memoirs, and also consists of the assumptions and conjectures of historians. The exact place of birth, however, as well as the year, could not be established (the years of life fall in the middle of the 5th century). In the Confessions, the man mentions the place Bannawem and Ventre.

The English scholar Charles Thomas suggested that this was a British settlement in the lands colonized by the Romans. It is known that the father of Patrick Calpurnius is a Roman officer-official, concurrently a deacon. Grandfather Potit also served as a priest.

Partik, under the name Magon, was born into a wealthy family that had a country estate and even slaves. Ross with two sisters. In his memoirs, he admits to his own ignorance, however, by the abundance of errors in works written in Latin, and this is understandable. But here and there a man suddenly speaks of a brilliant education received in his father's house.

At the age of 16, the young man shared a slave share with thousands of compatriots. Patrick was stolen from his home and taken to Ireland, where he was forced to tend flocks of sheep. Who exactly abducted the child is also a mystery: perhaps the robbers who flew under the flags of the Irish king Niall, or people from Scotland and Scotts, representatives of the Celtic tribes.

The owner gave the future priest a nickname, calling him Patricius, which means "noble person, patrician." Since then, the man no longer remembered his former name, having carried the “stigma” of the humiliation of captivity all his life, which is quite understandable. In captivity, he believed in the true God, praised the Almighty day and night long - allegedly read 100 prayers a day. The name became, as it were, the starting point on the path to religion.

Once a young man had a dream in which a voice promised an early return to his homeland. Here the spiritual biography of the saint echoes motifs from the adventures of the Old Testament. Patrick decided to escape, having reached the sea, he saw a ship. With difficulty, but the captain agreed to take on board a penniless traveler and did not regret it - on the way, thanks to sincere prayers, God sent food to the crew from a herd of pigs and honey.

For unknown reasons, Patrick again fell into slavery to the tribes of the desert, now only for 60 days. With considerable difficulty, the young man reached the house, where in a dream an angel called him to return to Ireland:

"Holy brother, we implore you, come and convert us."

Christian ministry

From the moment of sleep, Patrick's life was illuminated by a sacred service, which the Confessions describes very sparingly. The man entered the service in the church in the rank of deacon, and the plans were to become a bishop. He traveled a lot around the world, studying in monasteries. In 432, Patrick returned to Ireland in robes and with the powers of a bishop, as the angel had asked. The priest's mission was to preach the gospel to the pagans and Christianize the country.

Patrick has thousands of baptisms and confessions to his credit. People from the lower strata of society flocked to the church, the flock mainly consisted of slaves, young people and women. The saint's list of achievements includes between 300 and 600 temples that he founded throughout Ireland.

The man repents in a handwritten biography about bribes in the form of gifts, which he poured as if from a cornucopia at the feet of rulers and judges in those places where he managed to visit in the form of a missionary. And he did not take the bribe. Not everywhere the priest was hospitably received, once, together with like-minded people, he ended up in prison and sat in shackles.

Patrick's life is shrouded in legends. One of the legends says that during a missionary campaign near the lake, the priest met the royal heirs Etne and Felem. Having heard the details about God, the girls wanted to be baptized, and after the ceremony they immediately wanted to take communion - the desire to see the Almighty as soon as possible was so great. However, as soon as Patrick performed the ceremony, the king's daughters fell dead. The sisters were later canonized.

Another legend tells that Patrick cleared Ireland of snakes. Historians are sure that the legend should be interpreted as an allegory - reptiles mean pagan worshipers. Clover became an integral part of the image of the saint, and also thanks to legend: using the example of the shamrock, Patrick explained to the people the idea of the Holy Trinity.

Saint Patrick is respected for many of the deeds that he did in the name of strengthening Christianity in Ireland, but the man is not considered a pioneer missionary. Before this priest, other Christians made their way into the country, a century earlier. And from the south, and not from the north, like Patrick. For example, the Roman bishop Palladius visited here, who was not lucky enough to convert enough people to the true faith - he fell seriously ill and hastily left for his homeland.

Historians suggest that the teachings of Patrick also influenced the Christianization of Russia, the church of this saint reached the Russian lands through the Varangians.

Death

The mysterious Christian hero, of course, died under unclear circumstances. Legends say that the priest, anticipating death, climbed to the top of Mount Krokh and sat there for 40 days and the same number of nights. The day before his death, Patrick confessed to the bishop, and at the same time threw a bell from the mountain with prayers for the strengthening of the Christian faith on Irish soil. The angels heard the calls and picked up the bell.

Some admirers of the saint are sure that Patrick is buried in the city of Downpatrick in the north of Ireland. Others believe that the grave is worth looking for in the villages of Soul or Arma. However, the difference in positions is explained by a legend: after death, the saint's relics were allegedly put into a cart drawn by rabid bulls, and where the animals decide to stop, there will be a grave. The first night, the angels guarded the burial place, and soon two certain peoples launched a massacre for the possession of the relics of Patrick. However, the war ended in a draw, because God protected the saint who had retired.

St.Patrick 's Day

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated almost all over the world - in Argentina, Great Britain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Japan and other countries. And, of course, celebrations are held on a grand scale in Ireland. .

On this day, cities are transformed. Walking along the street, you will definitely meet a green man, clover suddenly flaunts in an unexpected place, the lingering sounds of bagpipes add color to the general atmosphere. Beer flows like water, concerts are held in every corner, and festive services are held in cathedrals.

People are selflessly looking for a four-leaf clover stalk. The one who finds it on March 17 will be lucky in any business, because on this day the magical divine powers are doubled.

Russia also celebrates St. Patrick's Day. So, every year on March 30 in the church of Peter and Paul at the University. Herzen (St. Petersburg), a conference of the Russian-Irish Friendship Society is taking place. Prayers are held in the church in front of the icon of the glorious missionary.

Memory

Until the 18th century in Liverpool, a special cross marked the place where Patrick preached before starting his mission to Ireland.
In the Irish city of Cashel, a rock is named after Patrick.
The middle of the 7th century - “The First Synod of St. Patrick."
VII century - "The Life of St. Patrick" by Murhu.
1191 - St. Patrick's Cathedral was built in Dublin (Ireland).
1762 - First St. Patrick's Day parade held in America.
1931 - the first parade on March 17, held in Dublin.