St. Patrick’s Day prayers and Irish blessings
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all our Irish‐ Central readers! We hope that you have an incredible St. Patrick’s Day full of fun, friendship and lots and lots of Irish music, dance, literature, drama, food and so much more.
While we enjoy all the celebrations, we must remember, of course, that St. Patrick’s Day is a Catholic feast day and so in that spirit, we’ve compiled a col‐ lection of prayers and blessings specifi‐ cally related to St. Patrick and to St. Patrick’s Day with which to bless your loved ones this year. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh ar fad. ( Blessings of St. Patrick’s Day to you all.)
St. Patrick’s Prayer
May the Strength of God pilot us. May the Power of God preserve us. May the Wisdom of God instruct us. May the Hand of God protect us. May the Way of God direct us. May the Shield of God defend us. May the Host of God guard us Against the snares of the evil ones, Against temptations of the world. May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us,
Christ be over all!
May Thy Salvation, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.
Prayer to St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland
Dear St. Patrick, in your humility, you called yourself a sinner, but you became a most successful mis‐ sionary and prompted countless pagans to follow the Savior.
Many of their descendants in turn spread the Good News in numerous for‐ eign lands.
Through your powerful intercession with
God, obtain the missionaries we need to continue the work you began. Amen.
Prayer about St. Patrick
God our Father, you sent Saint Patrick to preach your glory to the people of Ireland.
By the help of his prayers, may all Christians proclaim your love to all men.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
O God, Who didst vouchsafe to send Thy Confessor and Bishop, Blessed Patrick, to preach Thy glory to the nations, grant, through his merits and intercession, that what Thou dost command us to do, we may, by Thy mercy, be enabled to per‐ form. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, wor‐ ld without end. Amen.
St Patrick' s Breastplate
2
St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. Christ be with me, Christ within me
Christ behind me, Christ before me Christ beside me, Christ to win me Christ to comfort me 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 or stranger. (390-461 A.D.)
The Prayer of St. Patrick
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
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.
Christ shield me today
Against wounding
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 everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation. -Anonymous
God and His Angels
May you have:
A world of wishes at your command. God and his angels close to hand. Friends and family their love impart, And Irish blessings in your heart!
H/T: LatinTimes/BeliefNet/Catholic.org *Originallypublishedin2017.Updated inMarch2024.