TIL that on Saint Patrick's Day began as a "feast day" in honor of the anniversary of the day he died. To honor him, Christians could put aside their Lenten restrictions on food and alcohol consumption on this day, which is why excessive drinking has become so permanently linked to the celebration.

http://learn.kegerator.com/history-of-saint-patricks-day/



Submitted March 17, 2015 at 06:31PM by PolkyPolk http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2zcgnu/til_that_on_saint_patricks_day_began_as_a_feast/