The origin of Saint Patricks Day:
This video helps but I have text too: http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/stpatricksday/?page=video
A bit about Saint patrick and the 'holiday;:
Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ.
Saint Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing christianity to Ireland. Most of what is known about him comes from his two works, the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish christians. [Saint Patrick described himself as a "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God."
Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, but there probably never have been - the island was separated from the rest of the continent at the end of the Ice Age. As in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and often worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. While not the first to bring christianity to Ireland, it is Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites. The story holds that he converted the warrior chiefs and princes, baptizing them and thousands of their subjects in the "Holy Wells" that still bear this name.
There are several accounts of Saint Patrick's death. One says that Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 460 A.D. His jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits, and as a preservative against the "evil eye." Another account says that St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury, England and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York and Dublin city
Why Saint Patrick's Day?
Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.
So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th. Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins.
In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick's Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green!
emphasis mine..info from here: http://www.st-patricks-day.com/about_saintpatrick.asp
So my question..why would you want to celebrate the person who helped bring about the death of the true Irish people..it would be like me as a hebrew celebrating Hitlers birth.
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Why celebrate Saint Patricks Day? |
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Jonas Pierterson
Dark Harlequin
Join date: 27 Dec 2005
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03-17-2006 06:23
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Ordinal Malaprop
really very ordinary
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03-17-2006 06:26
Beer.
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Jonas Pierterson
Dark Harlequin
Join date: 27 Dec 2005
Posts: 3,660
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03-17-2006 06:27
Yes, get drunk to the death of a nation. Good plan there..
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Ordinal Malaprop
really very ordinary
Join date: 9 Sep 2005
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03-17-2006 06:33
Well, would you like a list of traditional celebrations with exceptionally dodgy histories that people still celebrate simply for the purposes of having a party?
Besides, the actual reason for St Patrick's Day is so that Americans can wander around saying that they're Irish because their cousin's step-grandmother once snogged someone from Galway. |
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Siobhan OFlynn
Evildoer
Join date: 19 Aug 2003
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03-17-2006 06:45
Well, would you like a list of traditional celebrations with exceptionally dodgy histories that people still celebrate simply for the purposes of having a party? Besides, the actual reason for St Patrick's Day is so that Americans can wander around saying that they're Irish because their cousin's step-grandmother once snogged someone from Galway. Actually, my mom snogged someone from Galway, and here I am....first generation Irish-American, on my father's side, at least.  <------oh, pretty green smiley!_____________________
Absolute freedom is heavenly. I'm sure they don't have a police force and resmods in heaven. omgeveryonegetoutofmythreadrightnowican'ttakeit I'll miss all of you assholes.  |
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Ordinal Malaprop
really very ordinary
Join date: 9 Sep 2005
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03-17-2006 06:47
You can't really get pregnant from that, you know...
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Siobhan OFlynn
Evildoer
Join date: 19 Aug 2003
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03-17-2006 06:48
You can't really get pregnant from that, you know... What are you implying, Ordinal? hehehe _____________________
Absolute freedom is heavenly. I'm sure they don't have a police force and resmods in heaven. omgeveryonegetoutofmythreadrightnowican'ttakeit I'll miss all of you assholes. |
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Kristian Ming
Head Like A Hole
Join date: 5 Feb 2005
Posts: 404
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03-17-2006 07:10
I'm sure the multitude of devout Irish Catholics are not terribly concerned about the death of the 'true' Irish people you cite.
In America, St Patrick's is about drinking, and really that's it. It's as much about Saint Patrick as Christmas or Easter is about Christ. |
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Sally Rosebud
the girl next door
Join date: 3 May 2005
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03-17-2006 07:10
You can't really get pregnant from that, you know... Don't you know she went through sex education where she was only taught abstinence. So of course you can get knocked up by snogging  Oh, and... _____________________
"I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?"
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Patrick Playfair
Registered User
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03-17-2006 07:18
The origin of Saint Patricks Day: So my question..why would you want to celebrate the person who helped bring about the death of the true Irish people... Why not? _____________________
The meek shall inherit the earth (after I'm through with it).
Patrick Playfair |
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Taco Rubio
also quite creepy
Join date: 15 Feb 2004
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03-17-2006 07:19
I like it when Kinky Friedman said "Guinness is the drink that kept the Irish from taking over the world."
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Sally Rosebud
the girl next door
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03-17-2006 07:23
Why are you such a party-pooper?
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Merwan Marker
Booring...
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03-17-2006 07:25
Life can get us down, so we celebrate to get back up again!
Be it saint this or that, fallen dead guy or gal, sports girls and boys, creative muses and the local birthday-of-the-ages. Celebrations R Us! _____________________
Don't Worry, Be Happy - Meher Baba
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Mulch Ennui
15 Minutes are Over
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03-17-2006 07:30
 _____________________
I have of late--but wherefore I know not--lost all my mirth, that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory, this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.
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Lucifer Baphomet
Postmodern Demon
Join date: 8 Sep 2005
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03-17-2006 07:30
Why celebrate St Patricks Day.......
Speaking as an Atheistic, Humanist,Discordian, Non-Laveyan Modern Satanist, with the occasional pantheistic notion, and a fondness for the Subgenii..... Why the fuck not, its an excuse to cut loose. _____________________
I have no signature,
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Rose Karuna
Lizard Doctor
Join date: 5 Jun 2004
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03-17-2006 07:35
The origin of Saint Patricks Day: This video helps but I have text too: http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/stpatricksday/?page=video A bit about Saint patrick and the 'holiday;: Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ. Saint Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing christianity to Ireland. Most of what is known about him comes from his two works, the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish christians. [Saint Patrick described himself as a "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God." Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, but there probably never have been - the island was separated from the rest of the continent at the end of the Ice Age. As in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and often worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. While not the first to bring christianity to Ireland, it is Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites. The story holds that he converted the warrior chiefs and princes, baptizing them and thousands of their subjects in the "Holy Wells" that still bear this name. There are several accounts of Saint Patrick's death. One says that Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 460 A.D. His jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits, and as a preservative against the "evil eye." Another account says that St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury, England and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York and Dublin city Why Saint Patrick's Day? Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide. So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th. Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins. In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick's Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green! emphasis mine..info from here: http://www.st-patricks-day.com/about_saintpatrick.asp So my question..why would you want to celebrate the person who helped bring about the death of the true Irish people..it would be like me as a hebrew celebrating Hitlers birth. Yeah - I know what you mean. It's kind of like my family celebrating Thanksgiving and Colombus day. Oh well - Too late to cry over spilt milk. May as well tilt the wee bottle, most likely that's what's responsible for capturing us all anyway.<Rose lifts her green glass and toasts> . _____________________
I Do Whatever My Rice Krispies Tell Me To
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Ordinal Malaprop
really very ordinary
Join date: 9 Sep 2005
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03-17-2006 07:35
Guinness is foul, though.
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Jonas Pierterson
Dark Harlequin
Join date: 27 Dec 2005
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03-17-2006 07:36
Why not? because you may as well have a 'Merry Egypt day' for enslaving the Hebrews? |
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Joy Honey
Not just another dumass
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03-17-2006 07:37
because you may as well have a 'Merry Egypt day' for enslaving the Hebrews? That wasn't the Christians _____________________
Reality continues to ruin my life. - Calvin
You have delighted us long enough. - Jane Austen Sometimes I need what only you can provide: your absence. - Ashleigh Brilliant |
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Jonas Pierterson
Dark Harlequin
Join date: 27 Dec 2005
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03-17-2006 07:38
That wasn't the Christians Or a 'Happy Hitler day' You are celebrating the death and beating of an entire culture |
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Joy Honey
Not just another dumass
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03-17-2006 07:40
Or a 'Happy Hitler day' You are celebrating the death and beating of an entire culture Well, Happy Thanksgiving to you _____________________
Reality continues to ruin my life. - Calvin
You have delighted us long enough. - Jane Austen Sometimes I need what only you can provide: your absence. - Ashleigh Brilliant |
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Jonas Pierterson
Dark Harlequin
Join date: 27 Dec 2005
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03-17-2006 07:43
I don't celebrate thanksgiving either.. I won't disrepect the native americans. Columbus day the same...
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Taco Rubio
also quite creepy
Join date: 15 Feb 2004
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03-17-2006 07:43
Guinness is foul, though. please cite your reference.  _____________________
We can't be clear enough, ever, in our communication. |
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Joy Honey
Not just another dumass
Join date: 17 Jun 2005
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03-17-2006 07:44
merry humbug to you. have a crappy day and don't go drink any green beer.
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Reality continues to ruin my life. - Calvin
You have delighted us long enough. - Jane Austen Sometimes I need what only you can provide: your absence. - Ashleigh Brilliant |
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Jonas Pierterson
Dark Harlequin
Join date: 27 Dec 2005
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03-17-2006 07:46
On a side note I will no longer reply to this thread lest I be seen as an inflamatory troll trying to cause trouble. I posted the original post that expresses my reasons and logic, as well as the history of the so called 'holy day.'
Celebrate, or don't. its your morals and your conscience that you deal with, not mine. |