No, that wasn't a typo: Saint Patrick's Day, often abbreviated as St. Patty's, is renowned for enthusiastic celebrations and libations. They say everyone has a wee bit o' Irish in them on St. Patty's. What, ye may ask, are we celebrating as we raise a glass and exclaim "Slainte!" with a hearty clink? And what does citrus have to do with it?
More than one thousand years ago on March 17 of the year 461, the patron saint of Ireland--Saint Patrick--died. A few centuries later, the anniversary of his death became a religious holiday in Ireland. Families would pay homage to Saint Patrick in church in the morning and then celebrate for the rest of the day and into the evening. Since this celebration involved corned beef and beer, the celebration tended to become more, er, celebratory as the night wore on. This tradition continues today, not only in Ireland but in countries where there is a significant Irish diaspora, such as the United States, Canada, and Ireland.
Who Was Saint Patrick?
Saint Patrick was known as the patron saint of Ireland. A man named Patrick, born in the late fourth century in Britain, was captured, enslaved, and brought to Ireland at the age of sixteen. There he lived six difficult years as a herder. He managed to escape to another region of Europe, where he became a priest. He then returned to the land of his enslavement and brought his ministry with him. He used a shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.
Why So Much Celebration?
St. Patrick's Day has become synonymous to many as a celebration of Irish culture versus its origins as a religious holiday commemorating the coming of Christianity to Ireland a millennium ago. This is a welcome thing for many, as not everyone was or is pleased with the historical fact that the "bringing of Christianity" also meant diminishing pre-Christian Celtic traditions, which are also deeply imbued in Irish identity. Honoring the richness of Irish history, culture, and traditions has become something truly worthy of a grand celebration.
What Does All of This Have to Do With Citrus?
Oranges and other sweet citrus fruits did not come to Ireland until about the 16th century, when shipping trade routes brought the tastes of Spain, Asia and other conducive citrus climates to the northern lands. As such, while oranges were not a part of the original celebrations, it became a symbolic fruit representing the "pot'o gold" at the end of the leprechaun's rainbow, as well as a popular way to show off one of the three colors of the Irish flag. In fact, orange is such an important color in Irish culture that we wrote a whole blog on it!
Citrus also comes in handy after St. Patrick's festivities have ended, as all citrus fruits are powerful hangover remedies. The high vitamin C and water content help the body retain glutathione for liver detoxification. It is much better to eat the whole fruits versus juice, which can spike sugar levels.
So raise a wedge o' citrus to your health. From all of us at Florida Fruit Shippers: Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Sources:
https://www.bhg.com/holidays/st-patricks-day/traditions/what-is-st-patricks-day/
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/zest-in-show
https://www.worldatlas.com/culture/what-do-leprechauns-have-to-do-with-saint-patrick-s-day.html
https://www.thedailyview.com/what-do-leprechauns-eat/
https://darkageshistory.com/the-pre-christian-beliefs-of-the-irish-celts/
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/food/healthy-eating/a25366939/best-hangover-food/
