Was St. Patrick Italian?

Nothing gets the curiosity juices flowing as much as a conspiracy theory does. This article is going to throw a cat amongst the coop of hens! 

Most people in the world synonymize St. Patrick’s Day or Paddy’s Day for short with dressing like leprechauns, drinking beer and dabbling in other Irish-based traditions, like decorating pubs in green, etc.

But…what is the true St. Patrick’s Day history? Dum dum dum…

Who was St. Patrick?

Ciao! This patron saint of Ireland’s father Calphurnius was a Roman decurio (military officer) and his mother was Conchessa Succat. They were both Italians, but living in a British estate, which is technically a British territory. So he is technically Patrizio and not Patrick? Is he then really Italian? Gasp!

He is one of the most recognizable and highly-celebrated Saints in the world!

According to his own autobiography called Confessio,  Patrick was enslaved and taken from his home in England at the tender age of 16 by a group of Irish pirates to ship him to Ireland. For six years he looked after animals before returning to his place of birth.

Upon his return, he made a decision to enter the church life. He later became a Bishop, but no one can say where for certain, but found himself being a reverend in circa the 7th century to become the patron saint of Ireland.

Why is St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated?

St. Patrick’s day is a traditional celebration, usually held on March 17 each year, that is celebrated worldwide. It seems that everyone fancies themselves being somewhat “Irish” on this day.

According to a popular legend, the reason that this day is so immensely celebrated, is due to the belief that St. Patrick rid Ireland of “snakes”. Curiously enough, it is reported that no snakes have been seen in Ireland since the last ice age.

Knowing that he entered the church, the “snakes” might be a metaphor for any non-church worshippers like pagans and serpent gods and other non-believers.

It is said that he worked and lived for 40 years dedicating his entire life to spreading the gospel and living in poverty, he died on March 17, 461 in Saul, where he established and built his first church.

Places to Celebrate St. Patricks’ Day in Italy

• Authentic Irish Pub – Bolzano
• Irlanda in Festa – Bologna
• Irlanda in Festa – Florence
• Joy’s Shop Irish Pub – Bari
• Saint Patrick’s Week – Rimini
• Irish Pubs and Churches – Rome
• Hartigan’s Pub and Birreria – Verona

St. Patrick’s Day Facts

Here are some debunked myths and other interesting facts around St. Patrick’s day that you might not have known:

• The original color of St. Patrick’s followers is actually blue, and not green!
• Green is symbolic of St. Patrick’s Day due to the lush green landscapes that make up the most of Ireland – question is would Patrick approve of this?
• St. Patrick’s birth name was Maewyn Succat.
• The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in Boston. Ireland only followed suit 200 years later.
• The three-leafed clover plant, called a Shamrock is linked to Patrick as he described this as the Christian holy trinity.

• One of the traditional dishes consumed on St. Patrick’s Day is called bubble and squeak. It is made from potatoes, kale/cabbage, and onions.
• Pubs only opened for St. Patrick’s day celebrations in 1970.
• The city of Chicago has been dumping green dye into its river since 1962 in celebration of Patrick’s feast day.
• Did you know that there are no female leprechauns – so we can’t help to wonder – where do all the male leprechauns come from?
• Approximately 11 million pints of Guinness are consumed on St. Patrick’s Day each year.
• Traditionally leprechauns have nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day. They only came into play during the Middle Ages.
• St. Patrick was never canonized by a pope – so it begs the question of the authenticity of his saintly status.

The final say

Confused? Don’t feel bad, so are a lot of people! There is so much speculation involved, that no one is actually sure exactly what St. Paddy’s lineage and true life story is! 

So were the Italians robbed of the honours of St. Patrick’s day? Make up your own mind on this one. But one thing is for certain…the Italians should also have a stake in this claim.

But whatever you do, don’t tempt fate and wear any form of orange on March 17th! It is believed to be very bad luck and we think Covid19 has provided enough drama to last everyone a lifetime or more.