The Panathenaic Stadium and the Arch of Hadrian in central Athens were lit up in green on Monday evening ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, the National Day of Ireland, on March 17.
On the day, hundreds of global landmarks are lit up in green to mark Ireland’s global connections.
The Embassy of Ireland thanked the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Culture and the Civil Aviation Authority, for “this gesture of friendship and solidarity”.
The move came after the Greek Olympic Committee, the Culture Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority approved a request by the Embassy of Ireland to light up the ancient Stadium on March 16 and 17.
Greece and Ireland established diplomatic relations in 1975.
What is St Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17, the anniversary of his death in the fifth century.
The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon.
Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast–on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
