The religious holidays of Purim and St. Patrick’s Day celebrated this year between March 15 and March 17 share common rituals. Participants dress up in costume, attend festivals and parties to celebrate their heritage and culture. The story of Purim is told in the biblical Book of Esther, and relates to the time around 486 BC when the Jewish people of the Persian Empire were delivered from a plot against them. St. Patrick’s Day honors the patron saint of Ireland and the arrival of Christianity.
Feast of Esther, painting by Jan Lievens, circa 1625-1626
During Purim, the faithful dress up as Queen Esther, wear hats or eat pastries emblematic of the ancient traitor Haman. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by wearing green or shamrocks for both the color and shape of the holy trinity and a sign of spring. These jovial holidays include exchanging food and gifts, donating to the needy, and feasting.
Art works symbolic of the holiday of Purim can be found at both the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) in Raleigh, North Carolina and the Sackler Museum of Art in Washington, DC. An Old Master painting called the Feast of Esther by Dutch artist Jan Lievens is part of the NCMA’s permanent collection. The painting depicts the moment when Queen Esther reveals the plot to destroy Persia’s Jews and King Ahasuerus reacts with outstretched arms and clenched fists in anger, said Dennis Weller the NCMA’s curator of Northern European art. It was originally thought to be painted by Rembrandt, but is now widely recognized to be the work of Lievens circa 1625-1626, said Mr. Weller. A wine vessel and other containers from the 4th century AC forward at the Sackler Museum are associated with the rituals and culture of nobility during the Persian Empire and Iran that evolved over many centuries.
In addition to celebrating, both Purim and St. Patrick’s Day provide each of us with an opportunity to “unlock” our inner saints. Like Esther and St. Patrick, each of us is in a unique position to help others and acts of kindness may help shape the purpose of our lives.