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While the vast majority of people wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, some may wear orange to symbolise Protestant heritage or solidarity with Northern Ireland. However, if you’d like to know why some people wear orange on St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland and elsewhere, you’ll find all you need to know below. Wearing orange on St Patrick’s Day St. Patrick’s Day was once a solemn feast day when you’d be far more likely to see the color blue. Green represents the Catholics, orange represents the Protestants, and the white in the Nonetheless, St. Patrick's Day was co-opted by Protestants, who opted to don their representative orange instead of green for the day. The white stripe separating the green and orange ones on the country's flag is indicative of the unity both religions maintain, meaning there's no bad blood no matter what color you don. Every March 17th, cities around the world turn green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day—but why is green the chosen colour? And why do some people wear orange?!While Ireland’s nickname as the Emerald Isle and the shamrock’s deep ties to Irish identity play a role, the association wasn’t always there. While most St. Patrick’s Day enthusiasts bust out their green clothing on March 17, there are some who would rather wear orange. The reason has everything to do with religion. Both green and orange are represented in the Irish flag to illustrate the peaceful coexistence of Catholics and Protestants, so both green and orange could be considered St. Patrick’s Day colors. (THE CONVERSATION) St. Patrick’s Day usually conjures images of partying, Catholicism, Irish nationalism and, perhaps most famously, the color green: green clothes, green shamrocks, green beer An article published on March 17, 1933 described how FDR teased Sen. F. Ryan Duffy of Wisconsin “when he appeared on St. Patrick’s Day wearing a blue tie and no sign of green.” Roosevelt Green is also a sign of Irish defiance from England. The color was then weaved into St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the United States after Irish immigrants arrived in the 1800s. Some people now choose to wear both green and orange on St. Patrick’s Day as a symbol of unity and peace between different religious and political factions in Ireland. Despite its controversy, the choice to wear orange on St. Patrick’s Day serves as a reminder of Ireland’s rich yet tumultuous history. The color orange represents the sizable Protestant population within Ireland, and the green symbolizes Roman Catholicism, the religion that originally invented the holiday. Nonetheless, St. Patrick’s Day was co-opted by Protestants, who opted to don their representative orange instead of green for the day. Is it OK to wear orange on St Patricks Day? Catholics [] Therefore, on St. Patrick’s Day, Protestants protest by wearing orange instead of green. Ironically, no one wears white; the placement of the white stripe between the green and orange stripes on the Irish flag is supposed to symbolize the peace between the Roman Catholic majority and the Protestant minority. Therefore, on St. Patrick’s Day, Protestants protest by wearing orange instead of green. Ironically, no one wears white; the placement of the white stripe between the green and orange stripes on the Irish flag is supposed to symbolize the peace between the Roman Catholic majority and the Protestant minority. And now, for your reading pleasure and education, my annual explanation on why this 100% Irish, first generation American, wears Orange on St. Patrick’s Day. A Brief History of the Convoluted Difference Between Being “Orange” and “Green” Irish Both green and orange are represented in the Irish flag to illustrate the peaceful coexistence of Catholics and Protestants, so both green and orange could be considered St. Patrick’s Day colors. St. Patrick and the Color Green. Legend has it that St. Patrick used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. This story, whether myth or truth, has cemented the shamrock and the color green as central symbols of St. Patrick’s Day. The Color Green and Irish Catholic Identity St. Patrick’s Day was once a solemn feast day when you’d be far more likely to see the color blue. Green represents the Catholics, orange represents the Protestants, and the white in the The Orange vs. Green Conflict: To understand the sensitivity surrounding the color orange on St. Patrick’s Day, we must delve into Ireland’s complex history. The orange-green divide traces back to the religious and political conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland. The color orange represents the sizable Protestant population within Ireland, and the green symbolizes Roman Catholicism, the religion that originally invented the holiday. Nonetheless, St. Patrick’s Day was co-opted by Protestants, who opted to don their representative orange instead of green for the day. Is it offensive to wear orange on St Patricks Day? Is [] “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” These five words ring true for many (um, Mean Girls anyone?!), however, a lot of us don’t know the real reasons why we wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. Ahead, we’re giving you a mini history lesson on the significance of wearing green on March 17. Green is deeply connected to Irish history and culture.
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