A girl told me in a lecture yesterday that the Pope has moved St. Patrick's Day to the 15th of March by official decree. Allegedly it's because this year the 17th of March falls during Easter and celebrating during the Easter Holidays is... not on the cards. She also said it's the first time the Catholic Church have had to move St. Patrick's Day since the 1940s and it won't happen again for another one hundred and fifty years.

Not that I celebrate St. Patrick's Day, seeing as I'm not Catholic, but if this is true, am I the only one who thinks it's a bit silly? It does mean, however, that England are hosting Ireland at Twickenham on St. Patrick's Day, which could be funny given that Ireland can still win the Six Nations.

not got a fucking clue mate, sorry.

The Catholic Church will move St Patrick's Day 2008 after discovering it clashes with a key day in the Church's calendar.

Bishops discovered the Irish patron saint's feast on March 17 clashes with the second day of Holy Week next year.

Church rules decree the saint's feast day does not rank as highly as the Monday before Easter and therefore has to be moved.

Fr Peter Jones, of the Liturgy Commission, insisted the move was necessary. He said: "It's about the religious aspect of the feast and mass on the day.

"It's about the Holy Day which can't be observed on the Monday of Holy Week and therefore has to be transferred in accordance with the usual rules."

Rome approved the shift of the official religious celebration two days back to March 15, which falls on a Saturday.

The celebration should have been moved to the next available day in the Church's calendar, April 1, but senior Irish clerics wanted to keep the date as close to international civic celebrations as possible, as they are planned years in advance.

The last time St Patrick's Day had to be moved was in 1940 when it coincided with Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week. The next date it will have to be moved again is 2160.

Sinead Grace, of Tourism Ireland, said the traditional St Patrick's Day parade through Dublin has now become a week-long festival.

"I wouldn't imagine too many people are aware of the religious aspect. I can't see that it will make any difference to the bookings of hotels and B&Bs," she said.

aw. that means i wont be in ireland for paddys day

Immortalicide wrote:not got a fucking clue mate, sorry.

Me neither.

Me neither. You never need a reason or a date to get hammered on Guinnes though, just go and do it!

I doubt it will stop people having a piss up on the normal day!

James wrote:I doubt it will stop people having a piss up on the normal day!

They'll celebrate the day, the day in between the two days, then the new day. Make a weekend out of it.

I've been celebrating St. Patrick's Day all year. I was even celebrating St. Patrick's Day yesterday, alone, in my room, wearing only my underwear, whilst crying.

Isn't that on day of the gama bomb reanimator gig? That'll be fucking Irish, sweet.

It is also the next date of the IRL raids against Scientology.

H.O.D. Feemo wrote:Me neither. You never need a reason or a date to get hammered on Guinnes though, just go and do it!

i could never get pissed on guiness, dunno why

perhaps because it doesnt exist

it is all just marmite water really.

It's the same for me, I don't get that drunk on Guiness either. It's more like eating a pint, rather than drinking one. It's bloody tasty though. Mmm, lovely.