Jack

ST PATRICK'S DAY

Robert

St Patrick's Day●It is celebrated on every 17th March. It is celebrated by Irish people, but it is also celebrated in many countries. People wear green clothes, eat Irish food, drink Irish beer and go to parades.

Lewis

St Patrick●He is the patron Saint of Ireland. St. Patrick was born in 385 AD in Wales. At 16, some pirates captured him and sold him into slavery to a sheep farmer. He escaped when he was 22 and spent the next 12 years in a monastery. At 30 he went to Ireland as a Christian missionary. He died at Saul on the 17th of March in 461 AD and is buried at Downpatrick.

Don

The shamrock●The national emblem of Ireland and Northern Ireland is the Shamrock. Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit could exist as separate parts of the same being. His followers wore a shamrock in celebration. This day people wear shamrocks when they celebrate.

Sebastian

The snakes●Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. Serpent symbols were common in Celtic peoples. Driving the snakes from Ireland is a symbol of putting an end to the pagan practice.

Jack

Green Colour●Why do people wear green? Green is the color of spring, the shamrock, and is connected with hope and nature. Ireland is often called the "Emerald Isle" because its landscape is very green.

Lewis

The Celtic Cross●It is a popular legend that the Celtic Catholic cross was introduced by Saint Patrick. St Patrick combined the cross with the sun to give pagans an idea of the importance of the cross.

Sebastian

The leprechaun●A leprechaun looks like a little old man and dresses like a shoemaker. Leprechauns are very unfriendly. They live alone and pass the time by mending the shoes of Irish fairies. The fairies pay the leprechauns for their work with golden coins, which the "little people" collect in large pots.

Don

The Traditions●People attend mass in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. They eat Irish bacon and cabbage and they drink black beer. Some rivers are dyed green. There are parades in many Irish cities and towns, but there are very big parades in many American cities, too.

Robert

The Parade●The first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Today, many people go out to see the parade where you can find many customs, Irish music with bagpipes, soldiers, Irish flags, Irish culture.

Jack

Chicago

Chicago has a large Irish-American population.

There is a parade on St. Patrick’s day and the river is dyed green.

Lewis

PrayerToday we claim the power of God to hold us and to lead us,His eye to watch us – His might to strengthen us,His ear to hear our needs – His wisdom to teach us,His hand to guide us – His shield to defend us,His Word to give us speech – His Spirit to move us.Christ be with us, Christ within us, Christ behind us,Christ before us, Christ beside us, Christ to win us,Christ to comfort and restore us, Christ beneath us,Christ above us, Christ in the hearts of all that love us,Christ in the mouth of friends and strangers to us.Jesus we cry out this St Patrick’s day for your Spirit to move through us,Jesus pour out your Spirit over our land again,Jesus rise up in us an adventurous spirit in how we share you with others,Jesus rise up in us an urgency and energy and wildness of passion for your name like that of St Patrick and our forefathers.