Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Over the Centuries

The Feast of St. Patrick has been celebrated on March 17 since the ninth or 10th century, according to History.com, in recognition of the patron saint who brought Christianity to the Erin Isle and — legend has it — rid it of snakes. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in what is now Florida (!) in 1601. Only recently has it grown into an excuse to #celebrate all things #Irish with a pint of Guiness or green beer, however; it remained a religious holiday in its home country until the 1970s. Today, huge parades are held annually in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Savannah, Ga., and many other locations worldwide. #StPatricksDay