Was St. Patrick Italian?

It’s a question that pops up every year around this time.

With folks near and far winding down from a festive few days last weekend full of shamrocks, leprechauns and you know, lots and lots of green beer, the matter remains — well, as murky as the Chicago River after they dye it green, yo.

Each camp makes their own claim on old St. Pat annually.

Hmm.

Milan, Rome and Bologna are all large cities in Italy, which flood their largest statues in green light to celebrate St. Patrick.

There’s one for the Italians.

However, over in the Ireland, March 17 is pretty much a national holiday in every respect. Think Christmas with all green garland and shamrock-shaped wreaths, a’ight?

Compared to what we do in America vs. how they light it up on the Emerald Isle, we’re rookies and they are card-carrying professionals.

In case you want to extend your St. Patrick’s Day to, say, St. Patrick’s Month, I did a little digging on Ireland’s traditions for St. Patrick’s Day and here’s what the site claims:

According to www.holidappy.com:

1. Shamrocks are traditionally worn in bunches pinned to lapels on St. Patrick’s Day. The small Irish plant is associated with the saint due to a legend that he used the three-parted leaf of the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish in the fifth century AD.

2. The “wearing of the green”: Green is considered to be the color which best represents Ireland. Although not everyone bothers, it is still an Irish custom to wear something green on St. Patrick’s Day in honor of Ireland’s most famous patron saint.

3. Going to church is still the most traditional activity in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day. Although it has grown into something of a worldwide party, St. Patrick’s Day is, first and foremost, a religious festival recognized by both the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches in Ireland. Both denominations conduct church services to commemorate the saint credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.

Did you read that, people? Get thee to a chapel, stat!

4. Although he was born in Britain around 385. His parents were Roman citizens living in Britain, so he was a Roman citizen as well. At the age of 16, St. Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland, where he was brought up as a slave and shepherd.

5. Breaking Lent is also traditionally permitted on St. Patrick’s Day. Because the patron saint’s holiday always falls within the season of Lenten fasting, it is allowed on that day to break your fast and celebrate with whatever food and drink you fancy. So, while many people in Ireland give up alcohol during lent, the pubs are always packed full on the 17th of March.

Shocking. The old U.S. was SRO for many a bar last weekend, as well, no?

6. St. Pat is known for miraculously driving the snakes out of Ireland.

Anyone who can do that gets my vote as Patron Saint, for sure.

One final declaration read:

“St. Patrick’s connection to Italy is also strong, as he lived in Britain, a Roman territory. As such, it is likely that St. Patrick’s family was of Italian descent.”

Well, that clears the debate right up.

Happy continued St. Patrick’s celebration, all!

Kimerer is proud of her Italian heritage, but doesn’t mind a little Irish, too. Contact her via pkimerer@zoominternet.net.