DUBLIN, March 15 — Iconic monuments around the world have from yesterday been bathed in green light in honour of the traditional Irish holiday St Patrick’s Day.

New monuments join the worldwide celebration each year. Among the sites turning green from yesterday to Monday are the Holmenkollen ski jump in Oslo, Norway, and the archaeological city of Petra in Jordan.

The Giza Pyramids, the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, the Sydney Opera, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the London Eye and South Africa’s Table Mountain are others among participants this year.

St Patrick’s Day, originally dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland, has evolved into a more secular celebration of Irish heritage, including parades, festivals and gatherings around the world.

While the Irish capital of Dublin is home to an impressive celebration, many of the world’s largest St Patrick’s Day parades take place in the US.

According to the Irish Tourist Office, around 70 million people around the world consider themselves Irish or of Irish ancestry. — AFP/Relaxnews