Roman Amphitheatre turns green for St Patrick’s Day

AMMAN — Ireland’s Ambassador to Jordan Vincent O’Neill on Wednesday marked St Patrick’s Day by “greening” one of Kingdom’s most iconic sites, the Roman Amphitheatre.

March 17 is St Patricks Day and Ireland’s National Day. It is a day of great importance to all people of Irish descent and affinity around the world, said a statement from the Irish embassy.

Ireland’s national colour is green and every year, the occasion of St Patricks Day is commemorated by the “greening” of iconic structures and monuments around the world.

In recent years, Petra’s ancient Treasury, the rose-red city’s iconic façade, and the Citadel in Amman were “greened” to mark Ireland’s “very strong” bilateral ties with the government and people of Jordan, the statement said.

In his remarks during the ceremony, O’Neill said: “I am delighted, on the occasion of Irelands National Day, to commemorate the ever strengthening bilateral relationships between Ireland and Jordan. It is a huge privilege to witness the greening of this beautiful and historic site, of such significance to Jordan and its people.”

Ireland, though a small country with a population of 5 million people, has a huge diaspora of over 65 million people spread around the world. People across the world instantly identify St Patrick’s Day with the island of Ireland, read the statement.