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St. Patrick's Day, colloquially St. Paddy's Day or Paddy's Day, is the national holiday of Ireland.
It became a feast day in the Roman Catholic Church due to the influence of the Waterford-born Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding in the early part of the 17th century, and is a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland.
The date of the feast can be reassigned by church authorities when March 17 falls during Holy Week; this happened in 1940 when Saint Patrick's Day was observed on 3 April, in order to avoid it coinciding with Palm Sunday. In 2008, March 17 occurs on the Monday of Holy Week.
Irish immigrants to the United States began observing the holiday publicly in Boston and held the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City in 1766. Today, the tradition continues with people from all walks of life wearing green, eating Irish food, and attending parades.
St. Patrick's Day is rich in folklore; from the shamrock to the leprechaun to pinching people who are not wearing green.
St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day Jokes
St. Patrick's Day Recipes
History of Ireland
