St. Patrick’s Day: 17 March
Novena: 8 – 16 MARCH
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St. Patrick’s Breastplate

Below are appended three (3) iterations of this august and mighty prayer for protection against the diabolical, visible or otherwise.

The Lorica of St. Patrick
(excerpt)

I BIND unto myself to-day
The strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the temptations of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against the incantations of druids,
Against every man who meditates injury to me:
Whether far or near, with few or with many.
I have set around me [this] power against every hostile savage force,
Directed against my body and my soul.

Christ protect me to-day;
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort, Christ in the chariot-seat,
Christ in the mighty stern.

Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
Amen.

~ Novena suggestion: Offertory (Ps. 88:25) ~
My truth and My mercy shall be with him:
and in My Name shall his horn be exalted.

Pater noster .. Ave Maria .. Gloria Patri ..

○ ○ ○

The Breastplate of St. Patrick
Traditional, long poetic version

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 today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in 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 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 star lit 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, 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.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
Amen.

Sancte Patrícius, ora pro nobis!

○ ○ ○

The ‘Lorica’ Breastplate of St. Patrick
Complete ‘ancient’ version

I BIND to myself to-day
The strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,
The faith of the Trinity in Unity,
The Creator of the elements.

I bind to myself to-day
The power of the Incarnation of Christ with that of His Baptism,
The power of the Crucifixion, with that of His Burial,
The power of the Resurrection with the Ascension,
The power of the coming to the sentence of Judgment.

I bind to myself to-day
The power of the love of Seraphim,
In the obedience of Angels,
In the hope of Resurrection unto reward,
In the prayers of the noble Fathers,
In the predictions of the Prophets,
In the preaching of Apostles,
In the faith of Confessors,
In the purity of holy Virgins,
In the acts of Righteous men.

I bind to myself to-day
The power of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The whiteness of snow,
The force of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The velocity of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The hardness of rocks.

I bind to myself to-day
The power of God to guide me,
The might of God to uphold me,
The wisdom of God to teach me,
The eye of God to watch over me,
The ear of God to hear me,
The word of God to give me speech,
The hand of God to protect me,
The way of God to prevent me,
The shield of God to shelter me,
The host of God to defend me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the temptations of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against every man who meditates injury to me.
Whether far or near,
With few or with many.

I have set around me all these powers
Against every hostile savage power,
Directed against 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 and smiths and druids,
Against all knowledge which blinds the soul of man.

Christ protect me to-day
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,* Christ in the chariot-seat,*
Christ in the mighty stern.*
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself to-day
The strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,
The faith of the Trinity in Unity,
The Creator of the elements.

Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of Christ,
May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
Amen.

(*More accurately: Christ here / there / behind; Source: Scribd.com)

 

Sancte Patrícius, ora pro nobis.

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