They say that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day and for one day in March every year, that’s absolutely true. People of all races and religious beliefs come together to celebrate St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. So if you’re looking to wear some kelly green, eat some corned beef cabbage and soda bread (or not), and pack it up, pack it in at a parade, you might be asking yourself when is St. Patrick’s Day 2023.
Who Was St. Patrick?
For a day that is synonymous with The Emerald Isle, its namesake wasn’t actually Irish. That’s right, St. Patrick was born in Britain. He was brought to Ireland as a slave when he was 16-years-old. In addition to bringing Christianity to parts of Ireland, there are some tall tales surrounding St. Patrick. He’s credited with being able to raise people from the dead and also driving snakes into the sea. But whether you’re a firm believer in the stories about St. Patrick, he is a much-beloved and revered saint, both in Ireland and elsewhere.
Why Is St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated?
While some holidays celebrate the birthday of the famous person (think Martin Luther King Jr. Day, for example), St. Patrick’s Day honors the date in which he died. It’s believed that his death fell on March 17, 461 AD. St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated for over 1,000 years in Ireland — but not in the way you might expect. Since St. Patrick’s Day falls during Lent, it was often a day that included attending church services. Still, honoring St. Patrick’s Day meant that Catholics could break Lent for the day to enjoy meat, tasty treats, and of course, alcohol.
When Is St. Patrick’s Day 2023?
Although the holiday derives from the gorgeously green shores of Ireland, the only real green you’ll see on St. Patrick’s Day comes from parade (and, ahem, bar) patrons. Since the holiday always falls on March 17, you won’t often see lush verdant landscapes on that day depending on where you live. In fact, many marchers often parade down the street enduring blustery cold winds and freezing cold temperatures.
Still, that doesn’t stop people who want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or their Irish heritage. So if you’re wondering when is St. Patrick’s Day 2023, it falls on a Friday this year. You can expect to say, “Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!” (meaning “Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you!” in Gaelic) all day long, and as the luck o’ the Irish would have it this year, perhaps into the weekend, too.
So if you’re looking to make the most of this special holiday with your family, you should start getting your Irish on now. You can dress up in Kelly green (to avoid those unpleasant leprechaun pinches) and shake your shamrocks at a parade, create some St. Patrick’s Day crafts with your kids, or even talk to your family about what being Irish means to you. And maybe you’ll simply want to raise a pint of green beer to honor Ireland’s illustrious patron saint who has helped create so much pride for the Emerald Isle. But no matter what you decide to do, as the Irish expression goes, may the road rise up to meet you — every day, and especially on St. Patrick’s Day.