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This month on March 17th we celebrate the world-famous Saint Patrick’s Day! While this festivity stems from Ireland, people all around the world pay tribute to this famous Irish character. As Premier TEFL is a proud Irish company, we wanted to share with you the top 5 parades across the world dedicated to this special day!

Why Is St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated?

But first, who was Saint Patrick?

Saint Patrick was a famous Christian Bishop in Ireland, also called the “Apostle of Ireland”. Patrick was declared the first patron saint of Ireland during the fifth century. He notoriously brought and spread Christianity to the country which practiced a Pagan belief at this time. According to the autobiographical ‘Confessio of Patric’, he was captured by Irish pirates and brought to this new country as a slave. He lived there for six years but finally managed to escape and returned to his native country, England. A few years later, he became a cleric and returned to Ireland, becoming an “Enlightener of Ireland” by the seventh century . This feast happens on the 17th of March, the date of his supposed, now a religious and cultural holiday celebrated by Irish people across the globe. This tradition was shared by Irish immigrants and is now celebrated by over 200 countries!

The Top 5 Paddy’s Day Parades

Now that you’re aware of what’s behind this famous celebration, let’s discover where Paddy’s day is celebrated most effervescently (even the unexpected places!)

Chicago, USA:

st patrick's day - Chicago

@thingstodoinchicago

In Chicago, the St. Patrick’s Day parade has been one of the biggest parades in the country and has been celebrated for 175 years! Recently, the city has dyed the Chicago River green, the iconic Paddy’s Day color. This has helped Chicago become one of the best spots to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish people that immigrate to the US tend to shape Chicago with their culture and heritage, turning it into the fourth largest Irish city in America.

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Mexico City, Mexico :

St Patrick's Day - Mexico

@sanpatriciofestmx

The world-famous St. Patrick’s Day is also celebrated in the other side of the Atlantic ocean in Mexico, in honor of the El Batallón de los San Patricios.  A bit of history here: During the US-Mexico war of 1846, a lot of Irish members of the US army deserted the armed forces due to religious reasons and fled to Mexico. They then became part of the Mexican defense, participating in many battles during the war and dying for the country. Since this war, a commemoration has been held every year to remember their bravery and sacrifice. The ties between both countries are strong and explains why this festivity is celebrated so prominently here.

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Brisbane, Australia:

St Patrick's day - Brisbane Australia

@finnmccools_fortitudevalley

In Australia, St Patrick’s day is celebrated as a way to remember the Irish heritage and culture as they were among the first Europeans to settle down in the late 1700s. Later on, more than 300,000 Irish people migrated to Australia to escape famine and never returned to their homeland, claiming Australia as their new home. Today, 30 percent of Australians have some Irish ancestry and commemorate St. Patrick’s day as a way to pay tribute to the Emerald Isle.

Moscow, Russia :

@igor.ivanko

Russia has celebrated the Catholic St Patrick’s day for 25 years, recognized officially by the Russian Orthodox Church. The Saint has always been venerated in the Orthodox tradition and after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the ties between Dublin and Moscow became stronger. As a result, many Russians embraced the Irish culture as well as St. Patrick’s day. In the Tsar country, this day is celebrated as a tribute to Irish culture on March 30th.

Istanbul, Turkey:

@cornerpubirish

Istanbul has become a hub for many expat community, among them the Irish. In a popular Irish pub called ‘The James Joyce Irish Pub’ a.k.a. the Irish Center in Istanbul, a lot of these expats celebrate Paddy’s Day by dancing, drinking and eating traditional Irish food.

Did you enjoy reading this blog? Why not read another?

>> 5 More Top St. Patrick’s Day Parades Around the World

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