{"id":1716,"date":"2023-03-12T00:00:25","date_gmt":"2023-03-12T06:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/oldwaysinmoderntimes\/?p=1716"},"modified":"2023-03-16T08:27:46","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T13:27:46","slug":"st-patricks-day-snakes-of-ireland-and-other-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/oldwaysinmoderntimes\/2023\/03\/st-patricks-day-snakes-of-ireland-and-other-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Patricks Day: Saints, Snakes and Pagans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I am here to tackle another divisive topic on my perpetual quest to get canceled. If my sarcasm wasn\u2019t detectable, please make a note that it is, indeed, present.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Image via Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Historically, St. Patrick\u2019s Day has meant little more to me than a reason to wear my favorite color and down beverages resembling kryptonite. However, when the topic of St. Patrick\u2019s Day comes up in pagan spheres, it\u2019s always an interesting discussion. I will get to the reasons for this shortly, but let\u2019s start at the beginning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who Was St. Patrick?<\/b><\/h2>\n In short, St. Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland\u2014despite not being of Irish descent. Moreover, he was never officially canonized by the Catholic Church. That said, this has more to do with the era than him not meeting the criteria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents in approximately the 4th century, and it\u2019s widely believed that he died on March 17. In his teenage years, he was kidnapped by a group of Irish raiders and held captive for six years before escaping. It\u2019s suggested that during his time in captivity, he became deeply religious and, thus, planted the seeds for the holy figure we know today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to History\u2019s article, \u201cWho Was St. Patrick<\/a>?\u201d in his own writings, he documented that he began to speak with a voice that he believed to be god. After his escape to Britain, it\u2019s said that he had a second revelation that encouraged him to return to Ireland. In this vision, he was to return to minister to the existing Christians in Ireland and convert those who had not adopted Christianity as their religion. As such, after completing religious training, he returned to Ireland as a missionary and spent the rest of his life preaching the Gospel and establishing churches and monasteries.<\/span><\/p>\n Due to his familiarity with the Irish language and culture, he was able to implement Christianity while maintaining some of the existing structures. One of the most notable examples of this is the Celtic cross which incorporates the sun in the center, as the natives of Ireland were accustomed to worshiping nature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Snakes of Ireland<\/b><\/h2>\n**** ** ****It is this very conversion that can stir up deep emotions in pagans today. In any case, there is merit in being disappointed in the loss of history that was the product of Christianization. But nonetheless, this dismay is further compounded by the myth of the Snake of Ireland.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In this myth, St. Patrick drove the snakes of Ireland from the land into the sea. That said, it must be noted that Ireland is an island, and there\u2019s minimal proof that snakes ever inhabited the land in the first place. The National Geographic\u2019s article, \u201cSnakeless in Ireland: Blame Ice Age, Not St. Patrick<\/a>,\u201d reports that remnants of snakes have never been found on the island. Regardless, this is not what people typically take exception with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to some sources, the \u201cSnakes of Ireland\u201d were a euphemism for pagans. Thus, by ridding the island of snakes, he was ridding the island of\u00a0 paganism. Some accounts say that the Celtic Druids had tattoos of snakes, and to some, this further solidified the comparison. However, evidence of this is scarce.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether or not driving the snakes from Ireland was a metaphor for displacing the Druids is of much debate. Yet, one thing is for certain, and that is that we can not credit St. Patrick with the miraculous feat of ridding the island of actual snakes. We owe those accolades to nature itself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Celebrations<\/b><\/h2>\n****** ** Originally, St. Patrick\u2019s Day was celebrated in a religious manner by attending church services and enjoying a feast with friends and family. The holiday, however, became more secular and festive as Irish immigrants settled in other parts of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n ** ******The first St. Patrick\u2019s Day parade was held in St. Augustine, Florida in 1601, and subsequently, parades and celebrations spread throughout the United States and other countries with Irish populations. These festivities often feature shamrocks, leprechauns, symbols of Irish culture, and the color green.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Green<\/span><\/h2>\n Despite St. Patrick\u2019s knights wearing a shade of blue dubbed \u201cSt. Patrick Blue,\u201d the holiday is largely associated with the color green in modern times. This was a concept that was introduced later, and it\u2019s frequently attributed to Ireland\u2019s moniker \u201cEmerald Isle,\u201d but it\u2019s likely deeper than that. Some <\/span>sources<\/span><\/a> say that this is due to the use of the color to represent Irish independence, and it\u2019s worth noting that the color is also found on the country\u2019s flag alongside white and orange.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Clovers<\/span><\/h2>\n******** ** ********Another staple of the celebrations is clovers. It\u2019s said that St. Patrick used these clovers to portray the holy trinity. In modern times, clovers\u2014particularly four-leaf clovers\u2014have become a symbol of wealth and good fortune. Though not a part of the traditional symbolism, finding a four-leaf clover in the wild is thought to ensure prosperity for the lucky individual.<\/span><\/p>\n Leprechauns<\/span><\/h2>\n The most intriguing part of the celebration to me is the use of Leprechauns. Per History\u2019s article, \u201c<\/span>St. Patrick\u2019s Day Traditions<\/span><\/a>,\u201d the Irish name for them is \u201clobaircin,\u201d which means \u201csmall-bodied fellow.\u201d\u00a0 These mischievous creatures are kin to the fae and are often found in Irish folklore. There are several myths surrounding Leprechauns, such as hiding pots of gold at the end of rainbows. There\u2019s also the myth of finding a Leprechaun, which would then grant you three wish. Again, much like the clovers, Leprechauns are symbolic of good fortune.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Pagans and St. Patricks Day<\/b><\/h2>\n******** ** Despite the secularization of modern-day St. Patrick\u2019s Day, this is a festivity that some pagans choose to sit out. They may choose to wear a serpent pendant in protest of the holiday. At this point, I must note that I almost exclusively where a serpent necklace, so if you happen to see me on St. Patrick\u2019s Day\u2014this is not an official statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ** However, on the other side of the coin, some with Celtic ancestry may use this holiday as a time to connect with their ancestors and heritage. This can be a great time for exploring Irish folktales and mythology in more depth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ** Others may even participate in the festivities simply to celebrate St. Patrick\u2019s death. Regardless, the occasion does make for a fine excuse to drink green concoctions and participate in some merriment. <\/span>The choice is yours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ** ********I am here to tackle another divisive topic on my perpetual quest to get canceled. If my sarcasm wasn\u2019t detectable, please make a note that it is, indeed, present.\u00a0\u00a0 Historically, St. Patrick\u2019s Day has meant little more to me than a reason to wear my favorite color and down beverages resembling kryptonite. However, when the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4813,"featured_media":1722,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[198],"tags":[366,126,363,360],"class_list":["post-1716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-folklore","tag-druids","tag-seasonal-holidays","tag-snakes-of-ireland","tag-st-patricks-day"],"yoast_head":"\nSt. Patricks Day: Saints, Snakes and Pagans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"St. Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland\u2014despite not being of Irish descent. 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