Today, his life, his inspiration and his feast day resonates across the globe, with millions marking St Patrick’s Day as both a holy day and as a secular celebration of Irish heritage and culture. The Irish and the want-to-be Irish put on their best green clothing, watch parades, go to parties, enjoy a taste of Ireland and toast the luck of the Irish.
Sadly, most St Patrick’s Day parades around the world will not take place this year. Instead, people will be celebrating at home, wearing the green, and connecting online with the huge array of events being planned, including Ireland’s national celebration, the St Patrick’s Festival.
But not content with celebrating at home and online, the Irish will also take it to the next level as iconic buildings, historic sites and even rivers around the world go green for St Patrick's Day.
The annual Global Greening is a huge source of pride for Irish people worldwide, as the likes of the London Eye, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, the Colosseum in Rome and Sydney’s Opera House all turn a shade of green on 17 March – matched at home as key structures all over the country illuminate in similar fashion.
This year more than ever, seeing international landmarks bathed in green will help to bring positivity and hope to over 70 million people worldwide who claim links back to the island of Ireland – no better reminder of the beautiful world that awaits us when we are safely through the pandemic.
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