Luis國際資訊事務所

Celebrated on March 17 for over 1,500 years, St. Patrick's Day is filled with parades, live music, dancing, and everything green

　　Holidays come in all shapes and sizes, from huge seasonal events to quiet days of remembrance1. St. Patrick's Day, which is celebrated on March 17, is an interesting mix of both. Many people and places do not hold events for this occasion, while others declare it a national holiday. For over 1,500 years, it has been celebrated by the Irish as the anniversary of St. Patrick's death on March 17, 461.

　　St. Patrick is celebrated every March because he is the patron saint2 of Ireland. He is responsible for bringing Christianity3 to the island and changing the local people to his beliefs. Although St. Patrick's Day was first created as a religious holiday, it is now a time for people to celebrate Irish culture.
　
　　It is tradition to wear green on St. Patrick's Day, and anyone caught not wearing it should be pinched. Decorating with shamrocks4 is a common sight, and so is dying fountains and rivers green. Catholics5 attend a special mass6 on this day, and big meals are planned with families or the community. The day is also celebrated with parades, live music, dancing, and even green beer.

　　節日有各種形式和規模，從大型的季節性活動到寧靜的紀念日都有。在三月十七號 這天慶祝的聖派翠克節則是上述兩者的有趣結合。許多人和許多地方並不會為這個節日舉辦活動，但在另一方面，卻甚至有其他國家將它定為國定假日。在聖派翠克 於西元461年三月十七日過世後的一千五百多年以來，愛爾蘭人每年都會為這個週年紀念舉辦慶祝活動。
　
　　人們每年三月都會歌頌聖派翠克，因為他是愛爾蘭的守護神。將基督教傳到這座島上，並讓當地人民皈依其宗教的人就是聖派翠克。雖然聖派翠克節一開始是個宗教節日，但現在的它則是一個讓人慶祝愛爾蘭文化的時刻。

　　穿戴綠色服飾是聖派翠克節的傳統，而且任何沒穿綠色的人都應該被捏。用酢漿草來做裝飾也很常見，而且也普遍會將噴泉及河水染成一片碧綠。天主教教徒會 在這天參加一場特別彌撒，也會計畫和家人或社區來頓豐盛的大餐。人們還會用遊行、現場音樂演奏、舞蹈表演，甚至是綠色的啤酒來歡慶這一天。

1. seasonal　a. 季節性的，時令的
Seasonal rains occur from June to October in Thailand.
泰國的季節性降雨是發生在六月到十月這段期間。

2. occasion　n. 時刻；場合
It is a formal occasion, so you can't wear jeans and a T-shirt.
那是個正式場合，所以你不能穿牛仔褲和T恤。

3. declare　vt. 宣佈，聲明
After a very hard financial year, the company declared bankruptcy.
在經歷了財務極為艱困的一年後，那家公司宣告破產了。

4. religious　a. 宗教的
Burning money for the gods is a religious practice in Taiwan.
燒紙錢獻給神明是台灣的一項宗教習俗。

5. pinch　vt. 捏，掐，擰
I couldn't help but pinch the baby's chubby cheek gently.
我忍不住輕輕地捏了那個寶寶圓嘟嘟的臉頰。

6. dye　vt.（用染料）染
Eve wanted a new look, so she dyed her hair red.
依芙想換個新造型，所以她把頭髮染紅了。

7. community　n. 群體；社區
The community is known for its high rate of gang violence.
該社區惡名昭彰的就是其頻繁的幫派暴力。

1. remembrance　n. 懷念；悼念
2. patron saint　n. 守護神
3. Christianity　n. 基督教
4. shamrock　n. 三葉草，酢漿草（愛爾蘭國花）
5. Catholic　n. 天主教徒
6. mass　n. 彌撒（亦常寫作Mass）

Shamrocks
　　在聖派翠克節這天，人們一定都會配戴綠色的三葉酢漿草來做裝飾，以此紀念他們的守護神。當初聖派翠克在島上傳教時，就是藉用三葉酢漿草來闡述『神、耶穌、聖靈』三位一體（the Holy Trinity），也因此酢漿草就成了愛爾蘭國花和聖派翠克節的象徵。
Leprechauns
　　另一個聖派翠克節的象徵就是小精靈（leprechaun）。小精靈起源於愛爾蘭的神話故事，據說他們性情乖戾孤僻，外型就像是年老的鞋匠。他們守護 著裝滿黃金的罐子，人們會循著他們製鞋時發出的聲響來捕捉他們，好逼供出金罐的藏匿處。但由於他們生性狡猾，因此人們總是功敗垂成。據說在聖派翠克節這天 穿著綠色服飾能夠引誘他們現身。