Have you ever read the Breastplate of St. Patrick (also known as St. Patrick's Hymn)? Such a beautiful prayer and especially fitting during these times!
Here are some things you might not know about this famous prayer, often known as The Breastplate of St Patrick
☘️It is a prayer of protection, which is why it’s called the “breastplate”— a protective piece of armor for battle.
☘️Madeleine L’Engle used it as the basis for her book, A Swiftly Tilting Planet (my favorite of the time quartet— any other fans of Madeleine L’Engle
☘️The prayer is said to have been written in approximately 433AD by St Patrick himself!
ST. PATRICK OF IRELAND (MARCH 17TH)
On the 17th of March, we celebrate the life, miracles, and continued intercessions of St. Patrick, Apostle to Ireland, Enlightener of the Celtic People, and Patron Saint of the Irish!
Though enslaved by the pagan Irish as a child in the 5th Century AD, St. Patrick escaped and later became a bishop and missionary to the Irish, and established a great Church in Ireland that stands into the present day. His life was characterized by forgiveness, bravery, faithfulness to the Gospel, and great miracles done through him by God’s grace. May we learn to be like St. Patrick in our continued calling to share an Orthodox Christian Gospel all around the world!
First Version Of the Prayer
ST. PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation
Almighty God, in Thy providence Thou chosest Thy servant, St. Patrick, to be the Apostle to the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of Thy Holy Gospel, and to enter into Thy Holy Orthodox Church: Grant us so to walk in the way, so as to imitate Thy blessed servant; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who livest and reignest with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
St. Patrick, pray for us!
Second Version of the Prayer
The Breastplate of St. Patrick
I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.
I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.
Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.
Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
St. Patrick, pray for us!
Third Version of the prayer :
Breastplate of St. Patrick
I bind N. today to a strong virtue, an invocation of the Trinity.
I believe in a Threeness, with confession of a Oneness in the Creator of the Universe.
I bind N. today to the virtue of Christ’s birth with His baptism,
to the virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
to the virtue of His resurrection with His ascension,
to the virtue of His coming to the Judgment of Doom.
I bind N. today to the virtue of ranks of Cherubim, in obedience of Angels,
[in service of Archangels],
in hope of resurrection for reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs, in preaching of Apostles,
in faiths of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins,
in deeds of righteous men.
I bind N. today to the virtue of Heaven,
in light of Sun,
in brightness of Snow,
in splendor of Fire,
in speed of Lightning,
in swiftness of Wind,
in depth of Sea,
in stability of Earth,
in compactness of Rock.
I bind N. today to God’s Virtue to pilot him/her,
God’s might to uphold him/her,
God’s wisdom to guide him/her,
God’s eye to look before him/her,
God’s ear to hear him/her,
God’s Word to speak to him/her,
God’s hand to guard him/her,
God’s way to lie before him/her,
God’s shield to protect him/her,
God’s host to secure him/her,
Against snares of demons,
Against seductions of vices,
Against lusts of nature,
Against everyone who wishes ill to him/her,
Afar and anear, Alone and in a multitude.
So have I invoked all these virtues between N.
Against every cruel, merciless power which may come
Against his/her body and his/her soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of heathenry,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and druids,
Against every knowledge that defiles men’s souls.
Christ to protect N. today,
Against poison,
Against burning,
Against drowning,
Against death-wound, until a multitude of rewards come to N.!
Christ with him/her,
Christ before him/her,
Christ behind him/her,
Christ in him/her!
Christ below him/her,
Christ above him/her.
Christ at his/her right,
Christ at his/her left!
Christ in breadth,
Christ in length,
Christ in height!
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of him/her,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to him/her,
Christ in every eye that sees him/her,
Christ in every ear that hears him/her!
I bind N. today to a strong virtue, an invocation of the Trinity. I
believe in a Threeness with confession of a Oneness, in the Creator of
[the universe.]
Salvation is the Lord’s, salvation is the Lord’s, salvation is Christ’s.
May Thy salvation, O Lord, be always with us.
#stpatricksday #stpatrick #saintpatricksday #saintpatrick #stpattysday #prayer #orthodoxprayer #ancientfaith #irishsaint
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