Every year, we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day on March 17, in a festive atmosphere around the world. But did you know that the color green has not always been the symbol of this Christian holiday?
Saint Patrick, also called the patron saint of Ireland, is the founder of Christianity in the 5th century. Since 1607, this Christian holiday has been celebrated every year on March 17, the presumed date of his death. Today, this Irish festival, full of symbols, honors the four-leaf clover, a lucky charm that has become the symbol of Ireland, but also the Irish elves called Leprechauns, accompanied by their cauldron filled with gold. Fans also celebrate this festival around a festive day, sipping beers. The color green is also everywhere, in all the streets… But why is it associated with Saint Patrick’s Day? Because originally, it was a completely different color that was highlighted.
Indeed, the color green is today emblematic of St. Patrick’s Day, in particular because of the color of the clover and the green landscapes of the island which is also nicknamed “the green island”. During parades, the Irish are dressed in green, the hats are green, we wear green wigs, and we even taste beers dyed green. Without forgetting the decorations which necessarily use this color code. And beware of anyone who doesn’t wear green this St. Patrick’s Day! A tradition well anchored in customs, in many cities around the world.
The Irish tourist office has even created an event called “Global Greening”, which consists of lighting up all the most famous monuments in green depending on the country, such as the Moulin Rouge (green) in Paris, the Tower of Pisa in Italy or the Empire State Building in New York. But you should know that Saint Patrick was not always represented in green.
The color blue was originally used in ancient representations of the Irish order of chivalry, the Order of Saint Patrick, founded in 1783. Members of this order then wore blue ribbons. Nevertheless, although blue has been a color associated with this holiday in the past, green is now widely accepted as the iconic color of St. Patrick’s Day.
Although this festival has been very important in Ireland for several centuries, it has since spread to other countries, starting with the United States where there is a strong community of Irish origin. It was originally a Christian holiday in honor of Saint Patrick, the protector of Ireland. It then became popular and took on a broader meaning, and today contributes to promoting Irish culture locally and internationally.