St. Patrick’s Day: A Christian Holiday?

This month, much of the world is wearing green to celebrate a holiday now associated with Christianity: St. Patrick’s Day. But what is the true origin of St. Patrick’s day, and what is its spiritual significance? As Christians who base our faith on the Bible and not in human tradition, is it ok to celebrate St. Patrick’s day?

I was curious myself, since I didn’t want to unknowingly engage in anything that goes against the Bible. So I did a bit of research and here’s what I found.

Who is St. Patrick?

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Patrick was a man born in Roman Britain in the 5th century, who was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was 16. After this experience, he escaped, converted to Christianity, and returned to Ireland as a missionary to convert its people. He is believed to have died on March 17, 461, which is the reason March 17 is celebrated as St. Patrick’s Day (1)

Many of the details surrounding St. Patrick are myths that were invented in the centuries after his death. One myth is that he drove out all the snakes from Ireland, although the National Geographic states that snakes never existed in Ireland to begin with. Another myth is that he used a shamrock to explain about the Holy Trinity. More about this later.(2)

The tradition of having “patron saints” and celebrating “saints’ feast days” originated from the Catholic Church. However, venerating saints is against the teachings of the Bible.

The second commandment reads:

Exodus 20:4-6 – You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

This commandment surely includes people. The Bible gives an example of Apostle Peter refusing to be revered by Cornelius, a centurion who was eager to hear the good news about Jesus:

Acts 10:25 – As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

Even angels are not to be worshiped. Even when Apostle John tried to bow down to the angel who showed him the revelation of the bride, the angel told him to worship only God.

Revelation 19:10 – At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!”

Where did the shamrock symbol come from?

In Celtic Ireland, Druids promoted the shamrock as a good luck charm enabling people to see evil spirits and escape from them, as well as ward off bad luck and offer magical protection.(3)

Now, shamrocks have been justified as a Christian symbol through the myth that St. Patrick used the three leaves to explain about the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, the fact remains that the shamrock was already seen as a mystical symbol in Ireland’s pagan roots, and even today carries the connotation of having the magical power to grant luck.

According to the Bible, revering an object or seeing it as having magical powers is considered idolatry.

Leviticus 26:1 – Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.

If sacred stones are idols, do you think God would allow sacred leaves?

Where did leprechauns come from?

The leprechaun, now portrayed as a cute little man dressed in green, originated in Celtic mythology. Rather than being cute, mythological leprechauns were mischievous, sly old men who were thought to be the shoemakers for faeries. Today, the superstition survives that leprechauns harbor hidden wealth, but are quick to escape if you blink.(4)

The idea of a mythological being such as a leprechaun is rooted in Celtic paganism, which is against the God of the Bible.

Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other gods before me. (The First Commandment)

Why do people wear green? And why do you get pinched when you don’t?

Wearing green was a tradition started in America in the 1700s. St. Patrick’s Day revelers started the superstition that wearing green made one invisible to leprechauns, who would come up and pinch anyone they see. Pinching people who didn’t wear green was a reminder that they were vulnerable to pinching leprechauns.(5)

What does this all mean for Christians?

I was surprised to discover that not only are the origins of St. Patrick’s day not biblical, but in fact many of them come from Ireland’s religious roots before Christianity: Celtic paganism.

I was reminded of this verse:

Colossians 2:8 – See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 

Since Celtic paganism is a spiritual philosophy that does not depend on Christ, I decided that in order to practice my faith according to the Bible and not according to the world around me, I wouldn’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day anymore.

Besides, when you look at the way people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day now, regardless of its origins, the celebration is anything but holy. Most people see St. Patrick’s Day as a day to get drunk and party. What does that have to do with Christ? Any way you look at it, there is nothing remotely Christian about this “holiday.”

References

1. http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/history-of-st-patricks-day

3. https://www.franklinshopper.com/why-shamrocks-are-lucky.html

4. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Leprechaun

5. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/0317/St.-Patrick-s-Day-Why-do-we-wear-green