Lorica of St. Patrick, also known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate, is a prayer attributed to St. Patrick. It is believed to have been composed by him in preparation for his victory over Paganism. The term “lorica” originally meant “armor” or “breastplate,” and the prayer is known as such due to the requests for protection in its verses, symbolizing spiritual armor.
The Lorica of St. Patrick, also known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate, is an Old Irish prayer of protection attributed to St. Patrick. The term “lorica” originally meant “armor” or “breastplate”. The prayer is known as such due to the requests for protection in its verses, symbolizing spiritual armor.
The Lorica is believed to have been composed by St. Patrick in preparation for his victory over Paganism. It is part of the Liber Hymnorum, an 11th-century collection of hymns. The prayer is also present, in a more fragmentary state, in the 9th-century Vita tripartita Sancti Patricii.
The prayer begins with “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” and continues to invoke various elements of the Christian faith and the natural world.
The Breastplate of St. Patrick in Latin
Latin Version of the Lorica
The Lorica of St. Patrick is also known in its Latin version. The Latin rendition of the Lorica, like its English counterpart, is a powerful prayer invoking divine protection. It begins with “Suscipiam hodie potentiam Trinitatis fidei Trinitatis confessione, Unius numinis creatoris creaturae.”
Translation and Interpretation of the Latin Lorica
The translation of the opening lines of the Latin Lorica is “I arise today through the strength of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness, of the Creator of creation.”
This translation captures the essence of the prayer, invoking the power of the Holy Trinity and acknowledging the oneness of the Creator.
Importance of the Latin Lorica in Liturgical Practices
The Latin version of the Lorica holds a special place in liturgical practices. Its profound theological insights and poetic beauty make it a cherished part of Christian worship, particularly in traditions that preserve the use of Latin in their liturgy.
(I)
I arise today through the strength of faith,
Through the love of the Trinity,
Through the light of the One True God,
Creator of all that is seen and unseen.
(II)
I bind to myself today
The strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,
The Faith of the Trinity in Unity
The Creator of the Universe.
(II)
I arise today through the power of Christ,
His birth gave hope, His death gave salvation,
His resurrection defeated death,
His ascension promises eternity.
(IV)
I bind to myself today
The Might of the Incarnation of Christ
with that of His Baptism,
The might of His Crucifixion with that of His Burial,
The might of of His Coming on the Judgment Day.
(V)
I arise today through the wisdom of the Spirit,
Guiding my path, enlightening my mind,
Stirring my heart, empowering my soul.
(VI)
I bind to myself today
The Might of the Incarnation of Christ
with that of His Baptism,
The might of His Crucifixion with that of His Burial,
The might of of His Coming on the Judgment Day.
(VII)
I arise today surrounded by the celestial host,
Guarded by angels, shepherded by saints,
Secured in the family of God.
(VIII)
I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The brightness of the Sun,
The whiteness of Snow,
The splendor of Fire,
The speed of Lightning,
The swiftness of the Wind,
The depth of the Sea,
The stability of the Earth,
The firmness of Rocks.
(IX)
I arise today shielded by divine armor,
Against the snares of the enemy,
Against the temptations of the world,
Against the frailty of my flesh.
(X)
I bind to myself today
God’s Power 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 shelter me,
God’s Host to secure me.
(XI)
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
(XII)
I arise today in the company of the Trinity,
God above me, God below me,
God before me, God behind me,
God within me, God all around me.
(XIII)
I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul.
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, smiths and Druids,
(XIV)
I arise today through the strength of faith,
Through the love of the Trinity,
Through the light of the One True God,
Creator of all that is seen and unseen.
(XV)
Christ protect me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
That I may receive abundant reward.
(XVI)
I arise today through the grace of life,
Through the vibrancy of creation,
Through the mystery of existence,
In the vastness of the cosmos.
(XVII)
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ when lying down, Christ in sitting,
Christ is rising up.
(XVIII)
I arise today through the teachings of Christ,
His words of wisdom, His acts of love,
His promise of peace, His gift of salvation.
I arise today through the whispers of the Spirit,
Guiding my steps, inspiring my thoughts,
Kindling my heart, fortifying my soul.
(XIX)
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
(XX)
I arise today embraced by the heavenly host,
Protected by angels, inspired by saints,
Nurtured in the family of God.
I arise today armored by divine strength,
Against the shadows of doubt,
Against the echoes of despair,
Against the frailty of my being.
(XXI)
I bind to myself today
The strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,
The faith of the Trinity in Unity
The Creator of the Universe.
(XXII)
I arise today in the presence of the Trinity,
God above me, God below me,
God before me, God behind me,
God within me, God all around me.
(XXIII)
Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of Christ;
May Your salvation, O Lord, be with
us forever.
(XXIV)
I arise today through the grace of life,
Through the vibrancy of creation,
Through the mystery of existence,
In the vastness of the cosmos.
(XXV)
I arise today through the teachings of Love,
His words of compassion, His acts of kindness,
His promise of unity, His gift of harmony.
I arise today through the whispers of Hope,
Guiding my journey, inspiring my dreams,
Kindling my spirit, fortifying my resolve.
I arise today embraced by the celestial choir,
Protected by angels, inspired by saints,
Nurtured in the family of Love.
I arise today armored by divine courage,
Against the shadows of fear,
Against the echoes of doubt,
Against the frailty of my human nature.
I arise today in the presence of the Divine,
Love above me, Love below me,
Love before me, Love behind me,
Love within me, Love all around me.
I arise today through the love of the Divine,
Through the energy of the sun,
Through the radiance of the moon,
In the expanse of the sky.
FAQ’s
Patrick’s Lorica, also known as “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate”, is an Old Irish prayer of protection attributed to Saint Patrick.
The literal translation of ‘Lorica’ is ‘breastplate’, a garment is worn for protection in battle.
The Lorica is recited for protection, invoking God’s power against evil
It expresses the Catholic teaching on the Trinity and Christ, hope in God’s protection throughout the day and life, as well as love for God
Tradition suggests that this popular prayer was written by Patrick himself in 433 CE, but modern scholars now consider it to be the work of an anonymous author that was probably written in the eighth century.
Key elements include the invocation of the Trinity, the strength of Christ’s birth, baptism, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension, the strength of heaven, and God’s strength to pilot, uphold, guide, and guard the reciter.
In the Christian monastic tradition, a Lorica is recited for protection. Knights often inscribed prayers onto their shields or other protective armor and recited these prayers before going into battle.
Yes, the Lorica of Saint Patrick is well-known in Ireland, as Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland
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