When is St. Patrick's Day? When the Church says it is

 

By Melissa Colabraro

ROME, March 15 - Take out your green-colored outfits. Today is Saint Patrick’s Day. 

The Catholic Church pushed the holiday ahead two days to March 15 this year rather than have it clash with Holy Week.

The patron saint of Ireland will be commemorated today with religious ceremonies. Revelers see little problem with the change of plans for "a St. Patrick's three-day weekend".

“Heck, now we have a whole weekend of celebrations,” said John Cabot University student, Alyse Lorenzo.  “I agree with the date change, but I don’t believe people will obey it. There will be people out celebrating on Monday night. It’s just what we are used to.”

 

Last summer, the Church ruled that St. Patrick’s Day should be brought forward -- to before Palm Sunday. Fr. Peter Jones, of the Liturgy Commission, defended the move at the time, saying “It’s about the religious aspect of the feast and mass on the day. It’s about the Holy Day which can’t be observed on the Monday of Holy Week and therefore has to be transferred in accordance with the usual rules.”

Justine Romano, visiting student at John Cabot University, is another student who will go along with the ruling. “I don’t think it’s a big deal," she said. "I understand why the Catholic Church changed the holiday to Saturday. It even helps us students out when it comes down to celebrating the holiday since it’s a Saturday night instead of a school night.”

It could have been even more confusing. Rome approved the change of the religious celebration to March 15, but were at one point contemplating a move to the next available day in the Church’s calendar -- April 1. Senior members of the Irish church wanted to keep the date as close to original celebration as possible, and the March 15 compromise was brokered.

The last time St. Patrick’s Day had to be moved was in 1940 when it overlapped with Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week.

The next date it will have to be moved again is 2160. Mark it down.