St. Patrick’s Day

     Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland.

     Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth century. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.

     History

     The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. Until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. During his captivity he became a Christian and adopted the name Patrick.

     He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery for a period of twelve years. During his training he got the notion that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity.

     He returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact rightfully upset the Celtic Druids, who had their own native religion. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his indoctrination of the Irish country into Christianity.

     His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since.

     There are many myths and legends about St. Patrick. Perhaps the most well known legend is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using a native Irish clover, the shamrock. He used the three-leafed shamrock in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

     St. Patrick’s Day Around the World

     Today, people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day throughout the world, especially in the United States, Canada and Australia. This holiday is also celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia.

    Approximately 1 million people annually take part in Ireland ‘s St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows. Many people dress up in entirely green outfits to celebrate the holiday. One reason St. Patrick’s Day might have become so popular is that it takes place in the beginning of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring.

British Commonwealth 2017

     Fifty-two countries will come together on Monday 13 March 2017 to celebrate Commonwealth Day under the theme ‘A Peace-building Commonwealth’.


     Commonwealth Day, held on the second Monday in March each year, is an opportunity for individuals, communities and organisations to promote the Commonwealth’s shared values of peace, democracy and equality, and to celebrate the association’s rich diversity.

     The day will be marked across the globe by a range of activities, including a multi-faith service at Westminster Abbey in London. This service is traditionally attended by Her Majesty The Queen, the Head of the Commonwealth, High Commissioners, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, and dignitaries from across the Commonwealth, as well as senior politicians and 1,000 school children.

     The British Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 49 independent states that have been or still are ruled by Britain. Independent states are "full members of the Commonwealth". Among these states are Barbados, Australia, Kenya, Nigeria, India, Singapore, New Zealand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Cyprus, etc. Dependent territories (colonies + protectorates) are "Commonwealth countries", among them are Bermuda, Falkland Islands, British Antarctic Territory, British Virgin Islands and other. The new Commonwealth has grown out of the old British Commonwealth and British Empire. In the days of the old Commonwealth the only self-governing nations were Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The population of Australia, New Zealand and Canada (except for the French-speaking Canadians of Quebec) was almost entirely of people of British descent.


     When the old British Commonwealth and the British Empire came to an end with the 2nd World War, the new Commonwealth was born. It was born after Britain granted independence to India and Pakistan in 1949. The Commonwealth has no charter, treaty or constitution. The Commonwealth people are drawn from all the world main races, from all continents. The Commonwealth people confess many different religions. Among Commonwealth countries are those in which the dominating religious confessions are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism. The queen is recognized as head of Commonwealth; she is also head of state in 18 countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand. The Commonwealth Secretariat is in London. It is headed by a Secretary-General appointed by the heads of governments of member states. In 1990, for example it was headed by Emeka Anyaoko from Nigeria. The Secretariat promotes consultations, spreads information on matters of Commonwealth interests, organizes meetings and conferences. It coordinates Commonwealth activities related to economic, social and political affairs including youth programs, food, production, technology, science, law and health.


     Britain plays an active part in the Commonwealth activities, it values the Commonwealth as a means of consulting and cooperating with people of different cultures and perspectives. Britain plays an active part in the work of the Commonwealth Fund for Technical cooperation, established within the Secretariat to provide technical assistance for economic and social development in Commonwealth developing countries, and Britain contributes almost a third of its income. The Fund provides experts to undertake advisory assignments or fill specific posts. It has a special program to help countries develop their exports, production and rural development. This fund also contains a small technical assistance group to give advice in key areas. Britain is a major contributor to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, a system of awards for people of high intellect organized in order to make them study in Commonwealth countries. It was agreed in 1984 that the number of awards would be increased to about 1700 of which Britain would provide some 800.