With all this talk about Ireland’s patron saint, it would be remiss of my English heritage not to advertise England’s saint – George. Now here’s a man to admire! Funny isn’t it – Ireland’s patron saint, Patrick, was not Irish, but Scottish. England’s patron saint wasn’t English – he was Turkish! Actually, George is not just the saint of England, but also Greece, Russia, Canada and several other countries.
As the legend goes, George was a Roman soldier, from a good family and rose through the ranks. As a leading officer he was directed to head a persecution against Christians in the early 4th Century. Instead of carrying out this persecution, he confessed to being a Christian and criticized the Emperor, Galerius. Silly move really. He was arrested, tortured extensively, including the wheel of lacerations and then was decapitated before Nicomedia’s city wall. Thus a martyr is born.
As for the legend of George and the Dragon? Hmmm, apparently that was brought back to England by Crusaders in the eleventh century. Tales of a man slaying a dragon are sure more glamorized than a man merely dying for his religion, right? I don’t know, either way, it’s just as fallacious as the legend of Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes! Makes you wonder, how much of religion is just folk lore?
I have lived and studied in the United States for several years now, British born, the differences between our cultures sometimes seem deep, but at other times, almost invisible. I have come to relish the differences and enjoy how, even though we may share the same language, we are intrinsically dissimilar in many ways. One of the most blatant differences is the way national holidays are celebrated – today for instance – March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day. Back home, in England, the day is never really celebrated with the enthusiasm and revelry that is displayed in America. In fact, the first year I was here and all my student friends declared it a day of drunkenness, I was puzzled. Why was everyone drinking and dressing up in green? I asked my friends if they were Irish – a few muttered yes, but the majority shook their heads. Why then, has St. Patrick’s Day become an American celebration? The influx of Irish immigrants is an easy answer – but that can’t be the only reason, because not everyone has Irish descendants.
I think my main curiosity stems from my own experiences of how St. Patrick’s Day is REALLY celebrated in the Old Country. I have dozens of Irish friends and they share my bemusement – back in Britain and Ireland, most people do not wear green – it is bad luck. They do however wear shamrock, or perhaps a wee jade trinket, but wearing green, as superstition dictates, causes chaos. According to Irish lore, the Good People’s (fairies to you and me) favorite color is green and this is what they wear to bedazzle mortals to steal their children. If you walked around in green you’d be a magnet for bad luck that year. Why then, did this tradition morph in the States? People should be wearing shamrock, not dressing in green - unless you’re sick of your kids, of course. :-)
I have to state, I prefer the Americanized glitz and glamor of the event – much more fun! I was always taught by my Catholic High School Nun, Sr. Elenor, that St. Patrick’s Day is strictly a Saint’s Day Feast, a holy day of obligation. Urgh. I think I’m going to take up the mantle of the Americans and smother myself with green and drink myself under a table while marching bands and loud music sound around me. After all, there are a lot more smiles and happy faces in the American pubs then there are in Irish Churches. What is the point of sanctity when you’re not having fun? Decision made, where’s my bottle of Baileys…?
This video is pretty good: the Holiday himself explains the downside of being St. Patrick’s Day, lol.
