Saturday is St. Patrick’s Day, when everyone...

Saturday is St. Patrick’s Day, when everyone is Irish or wants to be. But Patrick himself was not Irish. Scholars differ as to the saint’s birthplace--Scotland, Wales or England--but all agree he was not of the Emerald Isle.

* According to his own writings, Patrick came from a noble family, and when he was 16 he was kidnapped by Irish raiders, taken to Ireland and sold as a slave. After several years he escaped. He later returned to Ireland to preach the Christian Gospel.

* March 17 commemorates the day of Patrick’s death in the 5th century. For the Irish people, the day has been a religious holiday for nearly 1,500 years. Although St. Patrick’s Day occurs during the Christian season of Lent, the Catholic Church officially allows the waiver of Lenten privations for that one day every year so people can dance, drink and feast in good conscience. The most popular tradition on St. Patrick’s Day is to wear something green, the color of Ireland.

* Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide, wherever there’s an Irish community. Even Moscow has a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. While Ireland itself has St. Patrick’s Day parades in more than 30 cities and towns, it is generally conceded that the feast day is most grandly celebrated in the United States. Parades are annual events in many cities, including Savannah, Ga.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Huge parades are staged in Boston (since 1802) and Chicago (where the river is dyed green for the day), but New York City claims the world’s oldest and most famous St. Patrick’s Day parade. Irish soldiers serving in the British armed forces first marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. The parade helped the soldiers connect with their fellow Irishmen and with their common cultural roots.

* The Web site https://www.shopirish.com offers jewelry, candles and all types of collectibles--all with an Irish flavor. Proceeds support the peacemaking efforts in Northern Ireland through the Irish Children’s Fund, a nonprofit organization.