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SAINT PATRICK'S DAY - March 17th
written by Sergio Caggìa with Paul Gwynne for © Nerone the Insider's Guide to Rome

 

In the early morning on St Patrick's Day an airplane from Ireland lands at Fiumicino Airport with a very special cargo: a case filled with fresh shamrocks which just a few hours before were growing in the Emerald Isle. The shamrocks are taken to the church of St Isidoro (Via degli Artisti, 41, just off Via Francesco Crispi - Trinita de' Monti) where they are blessed in a simple ceremony. The Irish Ambassador will be there for the occasion and a messa solenne will be celebrated after the blessing while the choir sings in Gaelic. The shamrock is then distributed among the faithful to be worn. All day long the Irish residents in Rome will wear it, bringing a little of the aura from beautiful Ireland to the Eternal City.    The shamrock, symbol and emblem of Ireland, was used by St Patrick to explain the mystery of the Trinity to the commonfolk. Inside the church of St Isidoro is the grave of Ottavia Caterina Maria Bryan who died on the eve of her wedding to Prince Scipione Borghese. On a simple sepulchre her statue seems sleeping, beautiful, with roses in her hair... My luve is like a red, red rose that newly spung in june, my luve is like the melody that sweetly play'd in tune, as far are thou, my only love, so sweet in love am I; and I will love you still, my dear, 'til all the seas gang dry... [Robert Burns] Maybe the memory of the marriage which never was between an Irish girl and a Roman boy will make the Irish and Romans even closer on St Patrick's day.