Page 39 - MyCottleville Magazine Jan/Feb 2017

Wishes Do C e True!
Cottleville’s St. Patricks Day Parade has be- come one of the most signi cant events in St Charles county region. Typically featuring more than one hundred oats and attract- ing well over 50,000 spectators, neverthe- less the focus of the parade has been to raise money for charity and create a great com- munity event. And not to forget, prior to the parade, nearly 4,000 runners race through the streets of Cottleville - a tradition that has grown about twenty percent each year.
Last year though having Make-A-Wish® kid Kinley as parade’s Grand Marshal was the true highlight. Kinley found out her wish coming true at St Patrick’s Day Parade. Also Mayor Jim Hennessey arranged Kinley a ride in a brand new corvette from Jim Tre- nary Chevrolet during the parade. Kinley had a great day on 3/12/16 and thanks Mercy Kids, Make-A-Wish Missouri, City of Cottleville and St. Patrick’s Run and Parade Foundation for make this surprise a reality.
WHO WAS ST. PATRICK?
St. Patrick is the beloved patron saint of Ireland. The Irish are famous for spinning exag- gerated tales, so despite the infamous stories traditionally attributed to St Patrick, quite little is actually known about his life. We do know that St Patrick was born in Britain and that at the age of 16 was captured by Irish raiders who attacked his family’s estate. He was then transported to Ireland where he was held captive for six years, living a sol- itary, lonely life as a shepherd. It was then that he became a devout Christian, embrac- ing his religion for solace. From his writing, we know that a voice, which he believed to be that of God, spoke to him in a dream, urging him to leave Ireland. He did. Walking nearly 200 miles, Patrick escaped to Britain and undertook seriously religious training.
After 15 years of study, Patrick was ordained as a priest and sent to Ireland. His mis- sion was to minister to Christians and to convert the Irish, then pre-dominantly pagans, to Christianity. Because Patrick was familiar with the Irish language and culture from his years of captivity, he chose to incorporate Irish ritual and symbols into his teachings rather than to eradicate Irish beliefs. Thus, was born the Celtic cross. Patrick superim- posed the sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the traditional Christian cross so that the result would seem more natural to the Irish.
St Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17th, the traditional religious feast day of St. Patrick and the day he is believed to have died in 460 A.D. The Irish have ob- served this religious holiday for thousands of years. But, how did we come to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the United States?
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