El Paso Diocese: Catholics allowed to eat meat today

St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday for many, it marks the death of Ireland’s patron saint and commemorates the arrival of Christianity in the country.

The holiday, also recoginized by Catholics, falls on Friday this year. During Lent season, it is common for Catholics not to eat meat, but dioceses across the nation are making an exception for St. Patrick’s Day.

The Diocese of El Paso also announced it is OK to eat meat today.

In a Facebook post, Bishop Mark Seitz posted the following:

“I will dispense the faithful of the obligation to abstain from meat on this particular Friday of Lent, March 17, 2017.”

He added it was fitting as St. Patrick’s Cathedral celebrates its centennial anniversary.

“I will only ask that those who do eat meat on this day would choose some other penitential act that day,” the post stated.

St. Patrick’s will hold its annual parade at 11am on Rio Grande Ave. and other celebrations will take place through out the weekend.