The SL Enquirer: About St. Patrick's Day- Debby Sharma Reporting...

credit: Google search

Saint Patrick's Day (Feast of Saint Patrick or the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a religious festival celebrated on March 17th; on the date of the death of Saint Patrick who was considered to be the foremost patron Saint of Ireland. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.

It is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. St. Patrick’s day is also widely celebrated in the United States, Great Britain, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.

In 17th century, this day was made an official Christian feast day by the Catholic Church. Celebrations include public parades, festivals, and the wearing of green, shamrocks and a whole lot of drinking! The celebration became popular after the Lenten restrictions on eating and consumption of alcohol was lifted.

According to the Declaration, believed to be allegedly written by Patrick, the Saint was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. It is believed that he was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century, into a wealthy family.

His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. Spending six years there and working as a shepherd, according to the Declaration that during this time he "found God". And that God told him to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home.

After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity.

During this period, for many centuries many legends grew up around Patrick and he became Ireland’s foremost Saint. These days efforts are made to use the Irish language, especially in Ireland as this week is The week of St. Patrick’s day.

Customarily, on this day, people either wear green clothing or wear shamrocks. St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish pagan.

Photo Credits: https://www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org

The colour has been associated with Ireland since at least the 1640s. It has been associated when the green harp flag was used by the Irish Catholic Confederation. Green ribbons and shamrocks have been worn on St Patrick's Day since at least the 1680’s.

During the 1790s, green had become associated with Irish nationalism, due to its use by the United Irishmen (was a republican organisation led mostly by Protestants and with many Catholic members who launched a rebellion in 1798 against British rule). The phrase "wearing of the green" comes from a song of the same name (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wearing_of_the_Green), which laments United Irishmen supporters being persecuted for wearing green. Ever since then, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the colour and its association grew in popularity.

Photography Credits: wikipedia.org

The wearing of the 'St Patrick's Day Cross' was also a popular custom in Ireland until the early 20th century. These were a Celtic Christian cross made of paper that was "covered with silk or ribbon of different colours, and a bunch or rosette of green silk in the centre.

The week of Saint Patrick’s day in Second Life is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm. We all love to dress and make our own fashion statement. Designer’s across the grid make outfits and accessories to suit this occasion. Parties and contests are held in various clubs, cafes and other public areas.

This year’s designer items to celebrate the day: