time.com Open in urlscan Pro
99.84.125.63  Public Scan

Submitted URL: http://lnk.ozy.com/click/gb01-2ik8sk-x5ng5p-ftyolgz6/
Effective URL: https://time.com/4261456/st-patrick-day-2016-history-real-saint/?utm_term=OZY&utm_campaign=daily-dose&utm_content...
Submission: On March 18 via api from US — Scanned from CA

Form analysis 1 forms found in the DOM

Name: searchGET /search

<form action="/search" name="search" method="GET">
  <input name="q" type="text" class="search-field" value="" placeholder="Search..." title="Search..." aria-label="Search...">
</form>

Text Content

Connect Wallet
Wallet Connected
Disconnect Wallet
MetaMask
WalletConnect
 * Sign In
   My Account
   Manage Account Digital Magazines Subscriber Benefits Help Center Sign Out
 * SUBSCRIBE FOR $19.99 Subscribe

 * Spotlight Story The Man Behind Ethereum Is Worried About Crypto's Future


Close

My Account
 * Manage Account
 * Digital Magazines
 * Subscriber Benefits
 * Help Center
 * Sign Out

Sign In
Sections
 * Home
 * U.S.
 * Politics
 * World
 * Health
 * Climate
 * Personal Finance by NextAdvisor
 * Future of Work by Charter
 * Business
 * Tech
 * Entertainment
 * Ideas
 * Science
 * History
 * Sports
 * Magazine
 * TIME 2030
 * Video
 * TIME100 Talks
 * TIMEPieces
 * The TIME Vault
 * TIME for Health
 * TIME for Kids
 * TIME Edge
 * Red Border: Branded Content by TIME

Join Us
 * Newsletters
 * Subscribe
 * Subscriber Benefits
 * Give a Gift
 * Shop the TIME Store
 * Connect Wallet

Customer Care
 * US & Canada
 * Global Help Center

Reach Out
 * Careers
 * Press Room
 * Contact the Editors
 * Reprints and Permissions

More
 * Privacy Policy
 * Your California Privacy Rights
 * Terms of Use
 * Site Map

Connect with Us
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 




 * History
 * The True History Behind St. Patrick's Day


THE TRUE HISTORY BEHIND ST. PATRICK'S DAY

St. Patrick's Day Celebration Around the World 2018

More Videos


1 second of 15 secondsVolume 0%

Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled
Play/PauseSPACE
Increase Volume↑
Decrease Volume↓
Seek Forward→
Seek Backward←
Captions On/Offc
Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf
Mute/Unmutem
Seek %0-9

Next Up
Volodymyr Zelensky Calls on Russia to Stops Attacks Before Talks Go Ahead
01:06
Settings
Offcaptions_en
Font Color
White

Font Opacity
100%

Font Size
100%

Font Family
Arial

Character Edge
None

Background Color
Black

Background Opacity
50%

Window Color
Black

Window Opacity
0%

Reset
WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan
100%75%50%25%
200%175%150%125%100%75%50%
ArialCourierGeorgiaImpactLucida ConsoleTahomaTimes New RomanTrebuchet MSVerdana
NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop Shadow
WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan
100%75%50%25%0%
WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan
100%75%50%25%0%
facebook twitter Email
Linkhttps://time.com/4261456/st-patrick-day-2016-history-real-saint/?utm_term=OZY&utm_campaign=daily-dose&utm_content=Thursday_03.17.22&utm_source=Campaigner&utm_medium=email
Copied

This video will resume in 10 seconds
Live
00:04
00:10
00:15








 
By Ashley Ross
Updated: February 21, 2020 10:14 AM ET | Originally published: March 16, 2016
5:00 PM EDT

Modern St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, at least in the United States, are likely
be to characterized by commercial lucky charms and green beer—all of which has
very little to do with the historical figure of the saint. As it turns out, it
took centuries for the holiday to accrue the elements that now seem crucial to
its celebrations.

The March 17 celebration started in 1631 when the Church established a Feast Day
honoring St. Patrick. He had been Patron Saint of Ireland who had died around
the fifth century—a whopping 12 centuries before the modern version of the
holiday was first observed. But very little is known about who he actually was,
according to Marion Casey, a clinical assistant professor of Irish Studies at
New York University (and a regular marcher in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in
Manhattan).


PLAY Top Videos Video Settings Auto Full Screen About Connatix V154690 Watch
More Watch More Watch More Watch More Watch More Watch More 'We are a
community.' Vitalik Buterin on theTransformative Power of Ethereum 1/1 Skip Ad
Continue watching after the ad Visit Advertiser websiteGO TO PAGE


×


“We know that he was a Roman citizen, because Britain was Roman then, and then
he was enslaved and taken to Ireland, where he either escaped or was released,”
Casey says. “And then he became a priest and went back to Ireland, where he had
a lot of luck converting the Druid culture into Christians.”

Legend says St. Patrick was actually born Maewyn Succat, but that he changed his
name to Patricius (or Patrick), which derives from the Latin term for “father
figure,” after he became a priest. And that supposed luck of his is the root of
all the themed merchandise for modern St. Patrick’s Day.

It wasn’t until the early 18th century that many of today’s traditions were
kicked into high gear. Since the holiday falls during Lent, it provides
Christians a day off from the prescriptions of abstinence leading up to Easter,
and around the 1720s, the church found it “got kind of out of control,” Casey
says. It was to remind celebrants what the holiday actually stood for that the
church first associated a botanical item—customary for all saints—with St.
Patrick, assigning him the symbol of the likewise lucky shamrock.



The world goes green on St Patrick's Day

More Videos


0 seconds of 1 minute, 0 secondsVolume 90%

Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled
Play/PauseSPACE
Increase Volume↑
Decrease Volume↓
Seek Forward→
Seek Backward←
Captions On/Offc
Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf
Mute/Unmutem
Seek %0-9
Next Up
Volodymyr Zelensky Calls on Russia to Stops Attacks Before Talks Go Ahead
01:06
Settings
Offcaptions_en
Font Color
White

Font Opacity
100%

Font Size
100%

Font Family
Arial

Character Edge
None

Background Color
Black

Background Opacity
50%

Window Color
Black

Window Opacity
0%

Reset
WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan
100%75%50%25%
200%175%150%125%100%75%50%
ArialCourierGeorgiaImpactLucida ConsoleTahomaTimes New RomanTrebuchet MSVerdana
NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop Shadow
WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan
100%75%50%25%0%
WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan
100%75%50%25%0%
facebook twitter Email
Linkhttps://time.com/4261456/st-patrick-day-2016-history-real-saint/?utm_term=OZY&utm_campaign=daily-dose&utm_content=Thursday_03.17.22&utm_source=Campaigner&utm_medium=email
Copied
Live
00:00
01:00
01:00








 

Modern-day celebrations and themes continued to take shape during the rest of
the 1700s. In 1762, the first New York City parade took place. It wasn’t until
1798, the year of the Irish Rebellion, that the color green became officially
associated with the day, Casey says. Up until the rebellion, the color
associated with St. Patrick was blue, as it was featured both in the royal court
and on ancient Irish flags. But as the British wore red, the Irish chose to wear
green, and they sang the song “The Wearing of the Green” during the rebellion,
cementing the color’s relevance in Irish history.

As for the green beer, that’s an even later addition. In fact, it wasn’t until
the late 20th century that Ireland repealed a law that initially kept
everything—pubs included—shut down for the day. Since then, thanks to a
marketing push from Budweiser in the 1980s, downing beer has become a common way
to celebrate, regardless of how closely it’s tied to the actually meaning of St.
Patrick himself.

More Must-Read Stories From TIME

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 * Moldovans Fear They’ll Be Putin’s Next Target. Their Prime Minister Is
   Preparing for the Worst
 * This Is Why We’re Still Struggling With Anti-AAPI Hate One Year After Atlanta
   Shootings
 * What to Know About a Fourth COVID-19 Vaccine Dose
 * Evan Rachel Wood, Marilyn Manson and the Stories We Tell Ourselves About
   Iconoclastic Rock Stars
 * After Fleeing Ukraine, LGBTQ Refugees Search for Safety in Countries Hostile
   to Their Rights
 * A Haitian Man's Brutal Experience With U.S. Border Agents Sparked Outrage.
   Now He's Telling His Story
 * 'It’s Our Home Turf.' The Man On Ukraine's Digital Frontline

Contact us at letters@time.com.

SHARE THIS STORY

Read More From TIME
Entertainment
She Blew the Whistle on Uber. Now She’s Releasing Fiction About Scammers and
Strivers
Susan Rigetti's debut novel 'Cover Story' is a frothy thriller
Health
Moderna Seeks FDA Authorization for Fourth Dose of COVID-19 Shot for All Adults

Entertainment
'It Feels Really Freeing.' Amy Schumer Lets Go of Teenage Trauma in New Hulu
Series Life & Beth

Ideas
Joe Biden's Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson Wasn't Just About Delivering on
a Campaign Promise

Entertainment
Amy Schumer's Hulu Dramedy Life & Beth Is as Trite as Its Title


You May Also Like
Ideas
The Russian Strategy Guiding the Invasion of Ukraine

Living
Allyson Felix Discusses How Motherhood Made Her an Activist

Politics
US Spy Chiefs Warn Putin May Escalate War

Climate
Ukraine’s Conflict Has Rippled All the Way to the Arctic



Read Next
What Happened Last Time Merrick Garland Was Considered for the Supreme Court
Next Up: Editor's Pick
The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election
EDIT POST
You have reached your limit of 4 free articles.
Paywall-Icons-Devices
Unlimited access to TIME.com
Paywall-Icons-Newsletter
Inside TIME newsletter, twice weekly
Paywall-Icons-DigitalMagazine
Access to the TIME Digital Magazine
Subscribe Now
Already a print subscriber? Go here to link your subscription.
Purchased TIMEPieces? Go here to connect your wallet.
Already have a digital account? Sign In.
Thank you for reading TIME.
Subscribe now for unlimited access. 1 year for $19.99!
Subscribe Now Or create a free account to access more articles Existing print
subscriber? Click here.
Subscribe now for unlimited access. 1 year for $19.99! Subscribe now



 * Home
 * U.S.
 * Politics
 * World
 * Health
 * Personal Finance by NextAdvisor
 * Future of Work by Charter
 * Business
 * Tech

 * Entertainment
 * Ideas
 * Science
 * History
 * Newsfeed
 * Sports
 * Magazine
 * The TIME Vault
 * TIME For Kids

 * TIME Edge
 * Video
 * Masthead
 * Newsletters
 * Subscribe
 * Subscriber Benefits
 * Give a Gift
 * Shop the TIME Store
 * Careers

 * Press Room
 * U.S. & Canada Customer Care
 * Global Help Center
 * Contact the Editors
 * Reprints and Permissions
 * Site Map

© 2022 TIME USA, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes
acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy (Your California Privacy
Rights) and Do Not Sell My Personal Information.
TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this
website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.



SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 52%


Trust TIME for the facts that matter in uncertain times.

1 Year: Print & Digital access

Includes: FREE delivery, unmissable feature issues such as Person of the Year,
Time 100 & unlimited access to Time.com & Time's app on iOS with web access on
Android.

£59.99 (SAVE 52% off the RRP)

GET OFFER













CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION

California residents may opt-out of sharing their name and contact information
with third parties using this form.
Privacy Policy
Allow All

STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES

Always Active

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched
off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you
which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy
preferences, logging in or filling in forms.    You can set your browser to
block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then
work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

PERFORMANCE COOKIES

Performance Cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and
improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the
most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site.    All
information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you
do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and
will not be able to monitor its performance.

SOCIAL MEDIA COOKIES

Social Media Cookies

These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to
the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They
are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a
profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on
other websites you visit.    If you do not allow these cookies you may not be
able to use or see these sharing tools.

TARGETING COOKIES

Targeting Cookies

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They
may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you
relevant advertising on other sites. They are based on uniquely identifying your
browser and internet device. You can turn off the use of cookies for targeted
advertising here. When the button is green, targeted cookies are on. When the
button is red, targeting cookies have been turned off.

FUNCTIONAL COOKIES

Functional Cookies

These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and
personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose
services we have added to our pages.    If you do not allow these cookies then
some or all of these services may not function properly.


BACK BUTTON BACK



Vendor Search Search Icon
Filter Icon

Clear
checkbox label label
Apply Cancel
Consent Leg.Interest
checkbox label label
checkbox label label
checkbox label label

Confirm My Choices