Legends of Saints: St. Patrick's Day & St. Martin Day Unveiled

1. School presents Schule präsentiert 1006

2. SaintPatrick`sDay Martinstag

3. St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery.

4. It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. His father was a Christian deacon. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.

5. During his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop (which is now called Croagh Patrick), and with only a wooden staff by his side, banished all the snakes from Ireland.

6. The Shamrock The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. Many Irish people still wear a bunch of shamrock on their lapels or caps on this day or green, white, and orange badges (after the colors of the Irish flag)

7. The Leprechaun The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow. Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil.

8. Music is often associated with St. Patrick's Day—and Irish culture in general. From ancient days of the Celts, music has always been an important part of Irish life. The Celts had an oral culture, where religion, legend, and history were passed from one generation to the next by way of stories and songs.

9. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide. Christians and non-Christians celebrate the secular version of the holiday by wearing green, eating Irish food, imbibing Irish drink, and attending parades. The St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland is part of a five day festival. In the recent past, Saint Patrick's Day was celebrated only as a religious holiday. It became a public holiday only in 1903, by the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced by the Irish MP James O'Mara. O'Mara later introduced the law which required that pubs be closed on March 17.

10. In Great Britain an annual Saint Patrick's Day parade takes place on weekends around the 17th, usually in Trafalgar Square.

11. Irish-American immigrants brought Saint Patrick's Day to the United States. The New York parade has become the largest Saint Patrick's Day parade in the world, outside Ireland. In 2006 more than 150,000 marchers participated in it.

12. The longest-running Saint Patrick's Day celebrations in the U.S. are: Boston, Massachusetts, since 1737 New York City, since 1756 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, since 1771 Morristown, New Jersey, since 1780 Savannah, Georgia, since 1813 Carbondale, Pennsylvania, since 1833 Chicago, Illinois, since 1843 New Haven, Connecticut, since 1845 San Francisco, California, since 1852 Scranton, Pennsylvania, since 1862 Cleveland, Ohio, since 1867 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1869[10] Kansas City, Missouri, since 1873 Butte, Montana, since 1882 Munich is the only German city holding a St. Patrick's Day parade owing to the considerably large Irish community. The longest-running Saint Patrick's Day parade in Canada occurs each year in Montreal.

13. On 15th March 1992, thousands of Muscovites lined the Novy Arbat to witness the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Russian capital's history. The Moscow parade continued to be an annual event.

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15. Jedes Jahr am 11. November gibt es einen Gedenktag für einen ganz bestimmten Heiligen, für Sankt Martin

16. Der Heilige Martin wurde 316 in Ungarn geboren. Sein Vater war ein römischer Tribun. Mit 15 Jahren ging Martin zum Militär und diente in der Garde von Kaiser Konstantin. Mit 18 Jahren wurde Martin getauft, das Heer verlieβ und sich in die Einsiedelei zurückzog. Im Jahre 371 wurde er zum Bischof von Tours gewählt. Als Bischof hat er viele Klöster gründen lassen. Die Verehrung Martins begann bereits zu seinen Lebzeiten. Er wurde zum Heiligen erklärt. Zu den berühmten Wundertaten des hl. Martin gehörten Totenerweckungen, Krankenheilungen, Dämonaustreibungen.

17. Zu den Bräuchen des Martinstages gehören traditionelle Umzüge mit Darstellungen der Mantelteilung, Laternen-Prozession mit Martinslieder und Backen von Martinsgänsen.

18. Mantelteilung Der junge Martin begegnete vor dem Stadttor einem Bettler. Der hatte nur Lumpen an und fror. Martin nahm seinen warmen Umhang und schnitt ihn mit dem Schwert entzwei. Die Hälfte gab er dem Bettler und ritt weiter. In der Nacht erschien ihm im Traum Jesus Christus, der ihm mitteilte, dass er selber der Bettler gewesen sei.

19. Martinsgans Die Leute baten Martin Bischof der Stadt Tours zu werden. Martin fühlte sich dazu nicht genug würdig und versteckte sich in einem Gänsestall. Die Gänse schatterten aber so laut, dass sie Martin verrieten. Zur Strafe lieβ Martin sie dann braten.

20. Laternenumzug Zum Dank für die Ernte haben die Bauern auf den Feldern Feuer entzündet. Die Kinder haben so genannte “Trullichter” gemacht. Mit diesen Lichtern sind sie durch Orte gezogen, um Obst und Gemüse zu erbetteln.

21. Die Vorbereitungen zum Martinstag beginnen schon lange vorher, denn die Kinder basteln ihre Laternen meistens selbst. Diese können aus Zeichenpapier zusammengeklebt und danach bemalt sein.

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