The four leaf clover meaning and its association with St. Patrick’s Day
Have you ever wondered what’s the story of the 4-leaf clover? Why is it associated with St. Patrick’s Day? What’s the difference between the 3-leaf clover, the shamrock, and the 4-leaf clover?
The shamrock is an iconic symbol of Irish heritage and culture. It was utilized by St. Patrick as a symbol of Irish identity.
But although the use of the shamrock as Ireland’s national symbol dates back thousands of years, there appears to be a confusion about what constitutes the traditional shamrock; in particular, it appears to often be confused with the four-leafed clover.
The old Celtic legend says that St. Patrick used the three - clover leaf and shamrock - as part of his teachings. The idea of St. Patrick was using the three-leaf clover to explain his concepts of the Trinity to the pagans. While he tries to convert the Irish to Christianity, St Patrick used the clover to explain the Holy Trinity-each leaf represented the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The four-leaf clover, on the other hand, looks like a cross, which gives it a special meaning for its people, and overall, it symbolizes happiness, among other qualities. There are clover varieties, but only one is really a clover, so the legend goes by that. On St. Patrick's Day, the four-leaf clover is a symbol of magical protection and represent it in the ancient legend, as well as symbolizing happiness.
The four-leaf clover is associated with happiness because its four leaves make it one of the most common clover leaves in the world. It is only found in Europe and North America, where it can be found with one to four specimens. In Ireland, the tradition of bringing good luck to the four leaves dates back to Christianity, to the ancient Druid priests. Old Celtic priests believed that when they carried a 3-leaf clover or a shamrock, they could see evil spirits coming, and thank to that, they could escape on time. The 4 leaf on the other hand, was symbolized for magical protection and ward of bad luck, along with attracting happiness and good luck.
