Saint Patrick’s Day usually falls during Lent, but rarely during Holy Week. So this year, if you go to Mass on that day, March 17, the priest will be wearing purple and will be celebrating Monday of Holy Week.

This is because, in the United States, the feast of Saint Patrick is generally commemorated as a “non-obligatory memorial.”

But what about places like dear ol’ Ireland, or  maybe St. Patrick Church in Kaimuki, where the feast carries a wee bit more significance?

Well, according to the church’s complicated liturgical rules, “a solemnity impeded by a liturgical day that takes precedence over it should be transferred to the closest day not listed in nos. 1-8 in the table of precedence.”

Translation: in special places this year, the St. Patrick’s Day Mass is moved to Friday, March 14.

Sacred Hearts Father Clarence Guerreiro, pastor of St. Patrick’s in Kaimuki, will celebrate the St. Patrick’s feast day Mass twice on that day — at 7 a.m. “for all the Irish in Kaimuki,” and again at 8 a.m. for the students of the parish school.

But since March 14 falls on a Friday in Lent, you should probably save the corned beef and cabbage for Monday.

And the wearing of the green? Oh, it probably won’t do any harm to cover both bases. Just go easy on the Guinness.

(Other relocated feasts this year: Saint Joseph, March 19, goes to Saturday, March 15, and the Annunciation moves from March 25 [Tuesday in the Octave of Easter] to Monday, March 31.)