I did not really know what to expect on St. Patrick’s Day. I
knew it was a big holiday here, but I didn’t really understand why it is
celebrated and to be honest, I don’t think most Irish people do either. The
general consensus is that Ireland is celebrating St. Patrick. From there the
facts and reasons sort of get muddled up. They know he “chased the snakes from
Ireland,” but that isn’t even the reason he should be remembered. St. Patrick
brought Christianity to Ireland, chasing away paganism and he used the shamrock
to explain the holy trinity. Most people just look forward to the copious
amounts of alcohol and parties. – Side note. I wonder how much money people
spend on this night alone. - Our way of participating in St. Patrick’s Day was
walking through the parade with our big red double decker bus, a cross, and
tracts. We passed out the tracts to people watching the parade and then parked
the bus on the street later that night. The bus became a focal point for
conversation and a beacon of hope as people moved from one pub to the next and
passed by people who were completely sober on St. Patrick’s Day. For those who
were really intoxicated, I am not sure how much of the conversations really
stuck, but there are always people who remember and question. Personally, I am
not good at speaking to people, but I can at least pray for their souls and for
the seeds that were planted in their hearts to take root and grow.
Taste of Ireland: The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was in
New York in 1762.
