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Written By
Zain Usmani
Mar 11, 2025
•Life in Canada
Saint Patrick’s Day is an annual celebration on March 17. Today, the holiday is known for its parties, excessive use of green, and celebrating anything and everything Irish, including St. Patrick’s Day parades. However, Saint Patrick’s Day wasn’t always the holiday we know and love today. It started in medieval Ireland as a religious ceremony. Discover the roots of this celebration and what to expect for celebrations in Canada!
The holiday was created around the 10th Century AD to commemorate St. Patrick and the arrival of Christianity into Ireland. Saint Patrick, whose real name was Maewyn Succat, was born during the 4th century and preached into the 5th century.
Today, we see Saint Patrick as the Patron Saint of Ireland. But how did he achieve that status? St. Patrick was the son of a minor local official in Roman Britain. As a child, he was and wasn’t much of a believer. However, after being captured by the Irish and escaping them, St. Patrick became much more religious and devoted to Christianity.
Legend has it that Saint Patrick received a dream that he claimed was a divine message from God. The dream commanded Saint Patrick to return to Ireland to help the Irish people find Christianity. At this point, the Irish were mostly Pagan and hadn’t accepted Christianity. So when St. Patrick landed on the shores of Ireland, he was one of the first people to bring Christianity to Ireland.
At first, Saint Patrick’s preachings were unwelcome and mostly ignored. But slowly, Saint Patrick started getting followers and openly preaching to the Irish public. The Irish accepted Christianity and it soon became the dominant religion in Ireland.
Just a couple of centuries after Saint Patrick passed away, he had already become a legend. He was acknowledged for being the person who brought Christianity to Ireland. Saint Patrick became known as the figure who chased away all the snakes from Ireland. He is also credited for helping the needy in Ireland by feeding the hungry.
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REGISTER FOR THE WEBINARSt. Patrick’s Day celebrations find their roots in Ireland. The celebrations were primarily religious and commemorated the arrival of Christianity into Ireland. When Irish immigrants arrived in Canada they brought their culture and traditions along, including the Saint Patrick’s Day Feast.
Because Canada is a multicultural country with many different religions, St. Patrick’s Day is less of a religious festival and more of a symbol of Irish Identity. Today, people from all backgrounds across Canada celebrate the holiday.
Even though Saint Patrick’s Day is a popular holiday, it is only an official holiday in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. St. John’s Newfoundland is the closest North American port to Ireland. Irish immigrants originally settled in many parts of the province. Many Newfoundland residents are direct descendants of Irish immigrants.
While St. Patrick’s Day is only recognized as a holiday in Newfoundland, Canadians across the country celebrate the holiday. Celebrations often span multiple days or on the weekend. This year, many celebrations will happen on the weekend before Monday, March 17, 2025
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Like many other holidays, St. Patrick’s Day has many symbols that come with it. These symbols become a common sight leading up to the holiday and are everywhere on the 17th of March. One thing all these symbols have in common is they are all green. Seriously, everything goes green on St. Patrick’s Day.
The shamrock is one of the most common Irish symbols. A shamrock is a three-leaf clover, and legend has it that St. Patrick used it to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, a fundamental Christian concept.
The shamrock and green are common St. Patrick’s Day symbols and also symbolize the nation of Ireland. As Irish Poet Thomas Augustine Daly once said, “The whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o’ March!”
The whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o’ March
Thomas Augustine Daly, Irish Poet
This article is not complete without mentioning Leprechauns. Mischievous, little Leprechauns have become the unofficial mascot for the holiday. St. Patrick’s Day parades are full of people dressed up as Leprechauns. These mythical creatures from Irish folklore are now entwined with this holiday!
Today Saint Patrick’s Day differs from the religious festival that started in Ireland. Since the first parade in Montreal in 1824, it has become a celebration of Irish identity.
One of the most common traditions in Canada and the world is the Saint Patrick’s Day Parades. The parades take place in almost every big city in Canada. Unsurprisingly, the biggest parade takes place in the Canadian city where it first started—Montreal. Many native French speakers in Montreal and the province of Quebec have Irish roots. This is evident in the grand celebrations in Montreal on the 17th of March.
Almost everything Saint Patrick’s Day encompasses relates to Irish culture, including cuisine. A popular St. Patrick’s Day food is corned beef and cabbage. Colcannon is another Irish favourite. It consists of mashed potatoes and shredded cabbage often served alongside meat.
Desserts with green icing are common as well. You’ll see cupcakes with green icing or doughnuts with green sprinkles as we approach March 17.
During the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal, Quebec, thousands gather on the streets to watch live performers, marching bands, and people dressed in costumes. And, the mascot for the holiday—a leprechaun! Of course, it’s not a real leprechaun!
Enjoying traditions such as eating Irish food, attending live Irish music concerts, and wearing green are common ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. However, it is important to respect the Irish people and their culture. Avoid promoting hurtful stereotypes of the Irish culture. An example is drinking loads of beer and calling it a part of the Irish culture. This stereotype hurts the Irish identity. So, do have fun and remain respectful.
Saint Patrick’s Day is a great time to celebrate Irish culture from its early roots to modern celebrations in Canada!
WRITTEN BY
Zain Usmani
Writer, Prepare for Canada
My name is Zain Usmani and I am a freelance content writer who currently resides in Mississauga, Ontario. I immigrated from Pakistan to Canada 5 years ago and have lived in many cities ever since. I have lived in Calgary AB, Edmonton AB, Regina SK, London ON, and Mississauga ON, while visiting over 40 Canadian cities and towns. I have a great passion for writing and I love helping people through it.
© Prepare for Canada 2025
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