This week in Christian history: First St. Patrick’s Day parade in the US, George Mackay born, Alfred Edersheim dies

First St. Patrick’s Day parade in the US – March 17, 1601

This week marks the anniversary of when the first recorded Saint Patrick’s Day parade took place in North America, being held in the Spanish colony of Saint Augustine, Florida.

According to colonial records, Spanish settlers of Saint Augustine first celebrated St. Patrick in 1600, then held an official parade in his honor the following year. The saint was even considered “the protector” of the local cornfields.

St. Patrick is most commonly associated with Ireland, being an early church missionary and bishop credited with converting most of the island to Christianity during the fifth century.

However, historian J. Michael Francis explained to The Washington Post in 2018 that the Spanish colony had at least one Irish settler — a priest identified as Padre Ricardo Artur, or Richard Arthur — who likely instigated the celebration.

“So here you have this Irish saint who becomes the patron protector of a New World crop, corn, in a Spanish garrison settlement,” said Francis. “It’s one of those things you encounter that doesn’t change the universe, but it was … really quite striking.”