The Lorica of St. Patrick - a Prayer of Protection

Size (folded): 3" X 5.75", 100 lb. gloss heavy paper

Interior Fold #1:
The Legend of The Lorica of Saint Patrick

A lorica is a Latin word meaning a “breastplate” of faith that is recited for the protection of body and soul against all forms of evil.

Tradition holds that this prayer was composed by St. Patrick in the year 433.

Saint Patrick and his companion missionaries were to travel to the court of King Laoghhaire, the High King of Tara. They were on a mission to convert the Irish King and his subjects from paganism to Christianity. St. Patrick was aware that there was an ambush to try to kill him and his group en route to the King’s court. It was during the march that they chanted the Lorica. As the druids lay in hiding, ready to kill, it is said that they saw not Patrick and his men, but a gentle doe followed by twenty fawns. The miracle saved St. Patrick and his men. The Lorica became widely known as "The Cry of the Deer" because of this miracle.

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Card Interior:
The Lorica of Saint Patrick

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 everyone who desires me ill,

Afar and a near,

Alone or in a multitude.

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.

-St. Patrick

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Back of card:
The Lorica of Saint Patrick

Bishop, Confessor, Apostle of Ireland

Feast Day: March 17th

THE CONFESSION OF ST. PATRICK* (34)

I give constant thanks to God Who has kept me faithful in the day of my trial. To this day I offer my soul to Him as a living sacrifice to Christ the Lord, for He has saved me from all my anguish. I can truly ask, who am I, O Lord? And why have You called me? Why have You poured out so many divine graces upon me, so that today I can exalt and magnify Your name among the pagans in whatever place I find myself? Indeed not only when things are well, but also when they go badly, so that in evil or in good, I always raise up thanks to God Who has shown me that I must never doubt.

*from “St. Patrick - His Confession and Other Works” translated by Fr. Neil Xavier O’Donoghue, Catholic Book Publishing Corp, N.J. ISBN 978-0- 89942-181-0

St. Patrick image is from an Oil Painting by Honate in the 1400’s