Despite Erie’s St. Patrick’s Day parade being a week prior to the holiday this year, the city, the nation and countries all around the world will suit up in their best green and gold Saturday to celebrate the holiday.
While many people see it as a time to visit local establishments and enjoy the good company of good friends, the holiday actually commemorates the life and death of St. Patrick, the patron saint the day is meant to honor.
St. Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century; however, it wasn’t until centuries after his death on March 17, 461 A.D., that legends began to arise.
It is rumored that he explained the Holy Trinity using the shamrock, which is an icon of the holiday to this day.
The holiday then began to pick up and eventually found its way to America by way of Irish immigrants.
If you’re true to Irish culture, you’d attend Mass in the morning on St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate in the afternoon. You’d also consume the traditional Irish meal of Irish bacon and cabbage to fill your breadbasket for the day.
Every seven years the Irish ran into a snafu because of the Christian season of Lent prohibiting them from eating meat on Fridays. Luckily, the prohibition was lifted and the celebration could continue, but you’re in luck because it’s on a Saturday this year.
We hope everyone enjoys their St. Patrick’s Day and remembers to wear some green. Then on Sunday head to the Knight Club to pick up pancakes from the Australian T.R.A.V.E.L. group from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost is $7 for plain pancakes, $8 for chocolate chip and $2 extra for delivery so you can eat away your woes from the holiday being over.