Tag Archives: St. Patrick

“St. Patrick’s Breastplate”–original poem and hymn

Posted on March 15, 2010 | 5 comments

Though probably not from Patrick himself (it is more likely dated to the 8th than the 5th century), “St. Patrick’s Lorica” (breastplate) is a stirring piece of early Celtic devotion. I’ll give it here first in a translation printed in Christian History’s issue on Celtic Christianity. Then I’ve added the 1889 hymnic adaptation by Cecil Frances Alexander, wife of Anglican primate for Ireland William Alexander. You can hear the tune for that hymn here.

For some further information on Patrick and Celtic Christianity, see this post.

I Rise Today
The most famous Celtic prayer shows why the Celts are known for exalting both creation and the Creator.
“Patrick” | posted 10/01/1998 12:00AM

I rise today
in the power’s strength, invoking the Trinity
believing in threeness,
confessing the oneness,
of creation’s Creator. Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in Medieval Wisdom for Modern Protestants

Tagged , , ,

On St. Patrick’s Day and Celtic Christianity–a resource from a friend of mine

Posted on March 15, 2010 | 1 comment

Since St. Patrick’s Day is this Wednesday, I’d like to recommend on Patrick and Celtic Christianity. It’s from my friend Ted Olsen, managing editor of news & online journalism at Christianity Today, who also blogs monthly here. Ted’s book on Christianity and the Celts is good stuff (as is that whole series of clearly written and gorgeously produced little silver Intervarsity Press Histories).

To whet your appetite, here is Ted’s brief piece from http://www.christianhistory.net on Patrick. Notice the links at the end of the article to the Christian History issue on Celtic Christianity and an online full-text version of Patrick’s Confessio. I’ve also posted on this blog a famous prayer from Patrick, known as the “Breastplate.” Here it is.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY
The Real St. Patrick
Ted Olsen | posted 8/08/2008 12:33PM

The Real St. Patrick‘Tis the season for parades, green beer, shamrocks, and articles talking about why St. Patrick’s day isn’t all about parades, green beer, and shamrocks.

First, a few misconceptions about Patrick:

Patrick isn’t really a Saint with a capital S, having never been officially canonized by Rome. And Patrick couldn’t have driven the snakes out of Ireland because there were never any snakes there to begin with. He wasn’t even the first evangelist to Ireland (Palladius had been sent in 431,about five years before Patrick went). Patrick isn’t even Irish. He’s from what’s now Dumbarton, Scotland (just northwest of Glasgow). Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Medieval Wisdom for Modern Protestants

Tagged , ,