請問ST. PATRICK'S DAY 是什麼呢??

ST. PATRICK'S DAY(17/3)------

1.這是什麼節日?
這是為了紀念愛爾蘭守護神聖帕特裏克的節日。
源起:西元432年，聖帕特裏克受教皇派遣前往愛爾蘭勸說愛爾蘭人皈依基督教。他從威克 洛上岸後，當地憤怒的異教徒企圖用石頭將他砸死。但聖帕特裏克臨危不懼，當即摘下一棵三葉苜蓿，形象地闡明瞭聖父、聖子、聖靈三位一體的教義。他雄辯的演說使愛爾蘭人深受感動，接受了聖帕特裏克主施的隆重洗禮。西元４９３年３月１７日，聖帕特裏克逝世，愛爾蘭人為了紀念他，將這一天定為聖帕特裏克節。

１７３７年，一些愛爾蘭紳士和商人們在美國馬薩諸塞州波士頓聚會紀念聖帕特裏克，並成立了愛爾蘭慈善社團。１７８０年和１７８４年，費城和紐約先後成立了聖帕特裏克友誼之子等團體，從此美國每年都慶祝這個節日。
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2.會有什麼活動去慶祝這個節日?
★美國人:舉行遊行、教堂禮拜和聚餐等活動。
★美國的愛爾蘭人:佩帶三葉苜蓿
用愛爾蘭的國旗顏色——綠黃兩色裝飾房間
身穿綠色衣服
向賓客贈送三葉苜蓿飾物

聖帕特裏克節(St.Patrick's Day)



聖帕特裏克節為3月17日，以紀念愛爾蘭守護神聖帕特裏克。這一節日5世紀末期起源於愛爾蘭，美國從1737年3月17日開始慶祝。
西元432年，聖帕特裏克受教皇派遣前往愛爾蘭勸說愛爾蘭人皈依基督教。他從威克洛上岸後，當地憤怒的異教徒企圖用石頭將他砸死。但聖帕特裏克臨危不懼，當即摘下一棵三葉苜蓿，形象地闡明了聖父、聖子、聖靈三位一體的教義。他雄辯的演說使愛爾蘭人深受感動，接受了聖帕特裏克主施的隆重洗禮。西元493年3月17日，聖帕特裏克逝世，愛爾蘭人為了紀念他，將這一天定為聖帕特裏克節。

1737年，一些愛爾蘭紳士和商人們在美國馬薩諸塞州波士頓聚會紀念聖帕特裏克，並成立了愛爾蘭慈善社團。1780年和1784年，費城和紐約先後成立了聖帕特裏克友誼之子等團體，從此美國每年都慶祝這個節日。

美國的聖帕特裏克節這一天，人們通常要舉行遊行、教堂禮拜和聚餐等活動。美國的愛爾蘭人喜歡佩帶三葉苜蓿，用愛爾蘭的國旗顏色——綠黃兩色裝飾房間，身穿綠色衣服，並向賓客贈送三葉苜蓿飾物等。

The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship.

Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God.

He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity.

His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland.

Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity.

His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.

Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated.

Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Of course, no snakes were ever native to Ireland, and some people think this is a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday.

One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston.

Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring.