At least in America, where I live, everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. It doesn’t matter if you actually have any ancestors from Ireland. People wear green shirts, order Shamrock shakes, or even dye their city river green (I’m looking at you, Chicago).
But it turns out that St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated far beyond Ireland and the US, where he have a large Irish diaspora. It’s celebrated all over the world: Argentina, Switzerland, Russia, Canada, Asia, The Caribbean.
How great to have a celebration of common identity that spans the globe: every tongue, tribe and nation. I suppose it’s fitting that the holiday honors St. Patrick, who spent many years evangelizing the northern half of Ireland, converting thousands to Christianity. Through Christ we can find a common identity. Out of many, one. Unity from diversity.
Everyone’s Irish today. Enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day no matter who you are or where you come from.
And here’s a fun fact, thrown in for free: In case you’ve wondered why the shamrock is part of the holiday at all, legend has it that St. Patrick used its three leaves to illustrate the Holy Trinity.