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St.Patrick'sDayThepersonwhowastobecomeSt.Patrick,thepatronsaintofIreland,wasborninWalesaboutAD385.HisgivennamewasMaewyn,andhealmostdidn'tgetthejobofbishopofIrelandbecausehelackedtherequiredscholarship.Farfrombeingasaint,untilhewas16,heconsideredhimselfapagan.Atthatage,hewassoldintoslaverybyagroupofIrishmaraudersthatraidedhisvillage.Duringhiscaptivity,hebecameclosertoGod.HeescapedfromslaveryaftersixyearsandwenttoGaulwherehestudiedinthemonasteryunderSt.Germain,bishopofAuxerreforaperiodoftwelveyears.DuringhistraininghebecameawarethathiscallingwastoconvertthepaganstoChristianity.HiswishesweretoreturntoIreland,toconvertthenativepaganstoChristianity.ButhissuperiorsinsteadappointedSt.Palladius.Buttwoyearslater,PalladiustransferredtoScotland.Patrick,havingadoptedthatChristiannameearlier,wasthenappointedassecondbishoptoIreland.Patrickwasquitesuccessfulatwinningconverts.AndthisfactupsettheCelticDruids.Patrickwasarrestedseveraltimes,butescapedeachtime.HetraveledthroughoutIreland,establishingmonasteriesacrossthecountry.HealsosetupschoolsandchurcheswhichwouldaidhiminhisconversionoftheIrishcountrytoChristianity.HismissioninIrelandlastedforthirtyyears.Afterthattime,PatrickretiredtoCountyDown.HediedonMarch17inAD461.ThatdayhasbeencommemoratedasSt.Patrick'sDayeversince.MuchIrishfolkloresurroundsSt.Patrick'sDay.Notmuchofitisactuallysubstantiated.SomeofthisloreincludesthebeliefthatPatrickraisedpeoplefromthedead.HealsoissaidtohavegivenasermonfromahilltopthatdroveallthesnakesfromIreland.Ofcourse,nosnakeswereevernativetoIreland,andsomepeoplethinkthisisametaphorfortheconversionofthepagans.ThoughoriginallyaCatholicholyday,St.Patrick'sDayhasevolvedintomoreofasecularholiday.Onetraditionaliconofthedayistheshamrock.AndthisstemsfromamorebonafideIrishtalethattellshowPatrickusedthethree-leafedshamrocktoexplaintheTrinity.HeuseditinhissermonstorepresenthowtheFather,theSon,andtheHolySpiritcouldallexistasseparateelementsofthesameentity.Hisfollowersadoptedthecustomofwearingashamrockonhisfeastday.TheSt.Patrick'sDaycustomcametoAmericain1737.ThatwasthefirstyearSt.Patrick'sDaywaspubliclycelebratedinthiscountry,inBoston.ItwasinBostonwheretheDaywasfirstcelebratedinapublicway.Graduallyotherstatestookitup.AnditwasNewYorkthattookoutthelargesteverStPatrick'sDayparade.Heldsince1762,theNewYorkCityparadeonStPatrick'sDaydrawsmorethanonemillionspectatorseachyear.MeanwhilethecityofChicagohasdevelopedauniquetraditionofcoloringtheriverwatergreen.Itstartedin1962when100poundsofgreenvegetabledyewereaddedtoitsriver,enoughtokeepitgreenforaweek.Thetraditionhascontinuedtilldate.Now,40poundsofagreenfoodcoloringkeeptherivergreenforonlyafewhours.TheseapartIrishcommunityinvariouscitiescelebratetheDaywithsocialandcommunityworks.Makingcharities,attendingmass,promotingtheirownculture,andfeastingwiththeirfoods.Today,St.Patrick'sDayiscelebratedbypeopleofallbackgroundsintheUnitedStates,CanadaandAustralia.AlthoughNorthAmericaishometothelargestproductions,St.Patrick'sDayhasbeencelebratedinotherlocationsfarfromIreland,includingJapan,SingaporeandRussia.Inmodern-dayIreland,St.Patrick'sDayhastraditionallybeenareligiousoccasion.Infact,upuntilthe1970s,IrishlawsmandatedthatpubsbeclosedonMarch17.Beginningin1995,however,theIrishgovernmentbegananationalcampaigntouseSt.Patrick'sDayasanopportunitytodrivetourismandshowcaseIrelandtotherestoftheworld.Lastyear,closetoonemillionpeopletookpartinIreland'sSt.Patrick'sFestivalinDublin,amulti-daycelebrationfeaturingparades,concerts,outdoortheaterproductionsandfireworksshows.Group1,Class110208010101韩俊越