Soha's Letters: St. Patrick's Day - Remembering the Snakes

Those of you that know me, know that one of my phobias is snakes. I was attacked by a snake when I lived in Lebanon as a kid and since then I have feared all snakes. Even the non-poisonous ones. Within reason. I also try to get over all my fears. Just as I became a rock climber although I have a fear of heights, I have tried to face this fear of snakes head on as best as I could. So I am proud to say that I have (reluctantly) held a couple of snakes and touched some snakes in pet stores or at some sort of reptile display/presentation. But that's it. If I can avoid them, I will. The mere shape of a snake's head - any snake's head - makes me take a step back. And then forward again as I'll be damned to let a fear rule my life! But that's not what today's post is all about.

Today I want to talk about St. Patrick's day. A day generally loved for it's parties, parades and celebration of Ireland! However, St. Patrick is also remembered for ridding Ireland of snakes (or banishing the snakes from Ireland), although "...all evidence suggests that post-glacial Ireland never had snakes...(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick)

"The fossil record tells us that snakes evolved from lizards about a 100 million years ago, in the late Cretaceous, about when T Rex first appeared. These prehistoric snakes never made it to Ireland, however. Ireland was under water then...Today snakes are found almost everywhere on earth, living in deserts, grasslands, forests, and even oceans. However, snakes cannot survive where the ground stays frozen year round. No snakes live in the polar regions, or at high elevations in mountains. Snakes are 'cold blooded', assuming the temperature of their surroundings. Without the insulation of a burrow, icy weather freezes a snake solid, killing it just as freezing would kill you. This not-often-appreciated fact turns out to be they key we have been seeking, the reason why there are no snakes in Ireland.

Ireland is an island today...but it wasn't always an island. Land undoubtedly bridged the narrow channel to Scotland and Europe, more than once as oceans rose and fell in the 100 million years since snakes evolved. So why didn't snakes wander over to Ireland from Europe? They almost certainly did. So where are their descendants today? They have been removed. Not by St. Patrick, but by ice." (Source: http://txtwriter.com/onscience/Articles/patsnakes.html) No snake in Ireland could have survived the ice of the Pleistocene period.

As a result it certainly follows "...that snakes referred to the serpent symbolism of the Druids of that time and place, as shown for instance on coins minted in Gaul (see Carnutes), or that it could have referred to beliefs such as Pelagianism, symbolized as 'serpents'." (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick)

"In terms of numbers, Patrick himself suggested that he baptized and converted 'many thousands,' to the faith. It is true that Patrick had some success converting the sons and daughters of Irish Kings to Christianity, but actual figures of the numbers of converts among the entirety of the Irish population remain unknown. There is no solid mention of him teaching the catechism of the Church to new believers, so there is little evidence to suggest that the new converts maintained the Christian faith without a foundation in doctrinal teachings. It was quite possible that converts reverted back to their traditional pagan beliefs, especially without any clear support from Church leaders on the European mainland." (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick)

So metaphorically snakes represent Pagan people; hence, St. Patrick is being recognized for ridding Ireland of Pagans/Paganism. Whether these new converts remained Christians is open to speculation...but the damage was done.

Today I found a Facebook group called 'The Global Effort to Re-Name St. Patrick's Day - Remember the Snakes & St. Partick Be Damned!'. I think it's good to remember the real reason for St. Patrick's day. But I personally think that not much can be and maybe should be done here. I won't join the group.

In addition, St. Patrick's day has become a means to celebrate present Irish heritage/culture/traditions. I won't argue with that. And for me it has become a day to go out with Theo and have fun at the parade. Which is what we did! We did have fun. It was a lovely day on Saturday and everyone was in a good mood! And everyone was basically having an impromptu celebration of the beginning of spring and the return of the sun!

And here are some pics of the parade!