Putting on the Breastplate of St. Patrick: A 40-Day Invitation

Today is the Feast of Saint Patrick—or Lá Fhéile Pádraig, “the Day of the Festival of Patrick.” It’s a time many around the world celebrate by wearing green, eating and drinking terribly-dyed green things.

But on a deeper level, it’s a time of celebrating the gifts of the Irish people and the layered complexity of Patrick’s story—both the historical person and the mythic figure who emerged centuries after his death.

The Many Layers of Patrick

The historic Patrick was a fifth-century Briton who was captured as a teenager and taken to Ireland as a slave—only to escape six years later. Only to return to his former captors’ land later in life, perhaps running away from something (we know not what). Patrick (along with St. Brigid) are storied for offering the message and presence of Christ to the Celts in ways that honored and blessed the life-giving aspects of their culture, bringing faith without imperialism and creating a communal, nature-attuned spirituality that blesses the planet to this day.

This isn’t the only reputation Patrick has, unfortunately. Centuries of myth and accretion have him more forcefully advancing his faith, even to the point of murdering Druids, and the tale of him “driving the snakes out of Ireland” has been interpreted by contemporary Pagans as symbolizing a violent expulsion of their ways of life from the land.

These legendary embellishments and interpretations are important to acknowledge. As Morgan Daimler notes in Druids, Snakes, and a Mythic Saint, Patrick wasn’t the first Christian in Ireland—by the early 5th century, Ireland already had a small but established Christian community with churches, monasteries, and bishops. Patrick’s uniqueness was in his evangelism, his desire to spread his faith more widely among the Irish people.

The historical Patrick, in his own humble Confessio, expressed uncertainty about his impact, hoping but not claiming grand success. Far from the domineering figure of later legends, the historical Patrick worked within a culture where paganism remained strong, and where, as Bridgette Da Silva notes, any attempt to “convert by the sword” would have “come to an abrupt and bloody end.”

It wasn’t until 200 years after Patrick’s death that his hagiography was written, creating a much more fantastical figure who dramatically confronted Druids. And it wasn’t until the 12th century—700 years after Patrick—that we first see the famous story of him driving out the snakes, likely borrowed from tales of other European saints. These stories served the political and religious needs of their times, as state-enforced Christianity sought to establish its dominance and the early Irish church sought a powerful founding figure.

Understanding these layers helps us see past the colonial narrative (what my friend and colleague Jo’el Adifon calls the Egregore of Patrick, forged by the fever-dreams of culturally-dominant Christendom) and connect with a Patrick who embodies a more authentic Celtic Christian spirit—one that honors and harmonizes with the natural world and indigenous wisdom rather than seeking to destroy it.

Patrick as Bridge-Builder, Not Colonizer

While the mythologized Patrick of later centuries was portrayed as confrontational and destructive toward native Irish traditions, many scholars of Celtic Christianity see in the early Irish church a remarkable synthesis of Christian and indigenous spiritual elements.

This Irish Christianity—what John Philip Newell calls “a tradition in which we listened for the heartbeat of God in the rhythms of life”—maintained a profound connection to nature, celebrated the goodness of creation, and preserved many life-affirming aspects of Celtic culture. Far from driving out native spirituality, this tradition integrated it, creating something uniquely beautiful that blesses the world to this day.

The Patrick who emerges from this understanding is not a colonizer but a bridge-builder—someone who offered Christianity to the Celts in a way that honored their deep spiritual connection to the land, their appreciation of the divine feminine (seen in the prominence of St. Brigid alongside Patrick), and their recognition of the sacred in everyday life.

A Personal Connection

Patrick has a personal meaning for me—and not only because of the Scots-Irish side of my ancestral heritage. One of the closest people I’ve had to a spiritual director is Chris Dierkes, Anglican priest-turned-animist energy worker. A decade ago I was in a particularly challenging season of life, and he prescribed for me a multi-day prayer regimen—a kind of ‘energetic cleansing’ to shake off some embedded life-elements I wanted to release. As we worked together, I realized that his regimen was effective but incomplete. I wanted to ground his excellent guidance more firmly within God as I experienced (and hoped to experience) God—One, relational, and powerful.

It was then that we realized The Breastplate of Saint Patrick would be a potent prayer for a person under siege.

The Breastplate: A Prayer of Protection and Presence

“Put on the whole armor of God,” Paul pens in his letter to the Ephesian assembly in the first century CE…

…so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil.
We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens.
Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand.
Stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news of peace.
Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.Offer prayers and petitions in the Spirit all the time.
Stay alert by hanging in there and praying for all believers.
(Ephesians 6:11-18, CEB)

(c) Sudley House; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

Saint Patrick’s Breastplate, also known as The Lorica or The Deer’s Cry, is attributed to Patrick in the fifth century, though its precise origins are unknown. It’s a fierce prayer of abandonment to God, creation, and the lineage of faith, entrusting Divine power for personal protection. It has been adapted many times over the centuries for individuals and whole communities seeking strength amid difficulty.

What follows is my gentle adaptation, bringing in an expanded appreciation for Jesus’ life, the sacred feminine, and attention to the particular forces that vex us today — one that honors both life-affirming aspects of Christian lineage and the nature-affirming elements of Celtic spirituality that made the early Irish church so unique.

Want to learn and practice a powerful version of the Breastplate rendered by Jo’el Adifon and me? Keep reading!

The Breastplate of Saint Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity;
Through trust in the threeness,
Through confessing the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of Christ’s healing with his laughter,
Through the strength of Christ’s teaching with his feasting,
Through the strength of Christ’s crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of Christ’s resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of Christ’s descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward;
In the might of matriarchs,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In phenomena of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of children,
In deeds of righteous souls.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of 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 host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and every evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul:
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against toxic religion and abuse of faith,
Against pernicious principalities, powers, and politicians,
Against false flames of cult leaders,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of life-force manipulators, technomancers, and the magically unhinged,
Against every misdirecting gnosis that corrupts body and soul.

Christ to shield me today:
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.

Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ within 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 when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity;
Through trust in the threeness,
Through confessing the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

☘ ☘ ☘ ☘ ☘ ☘ ☘

A 40-Day Embodied Prayer Journey

I’m inviting you to join me in an embodied prayer practice centered on The Deer’s Cry—or Breastplate—for the next 40 days, spanning traditional Lenten practices while honoring the Celtic calendar’s transition from winter to spring.

This isn’t merely about reciting words but engaging your whole being in a transformative practice. As Gurdjieff taught, true spiritual work requires presence and conscious attention across body, mind, and emotions. The Breastplate provides a perfect structure for this integration.

If you’re open to this invitation, here’s what it can look like:

Daily Practice (15-20 minutes):

1. Embodied Grounding (3-5 minutes) Begin by standing barefoot if possible, feet shoulder-width apart. As you recite “I arise today through a mighty strength,” feel your connection to the earth. Draw energy up from the ground through your feet while simultaneously sensing the sky’s energy descending through your crown—a practice found in both Celtic Christian and tantric traditions.

2. Three-Centered Prayer (7-10 minutes) Recite the Breastplate slowly, engaging each of your centers as described by Gurdjieff:

• Moving Center: Notice bodily sensations as you speak each line
• Feeling Center: Experience the feelings evoked by the images and words
• Thinking Center: Contemplate one new meaning or insight from the prayer, perhaps formulating an ‘aim’ or intention to guide you that day

Pay attention to where you feel resistance or resonance—these are gateways to self-understanding.

3. Sacred Silence (3-5 minutes) Conclude with contemplative silence, practicing what the Celtic tradition calls “the ray of darkness”—a receptive stillness that allows divine presence to fill the spaces beyond words. Just a few minutes will do; or this could be a prelude to a 20-minute Centering Prayer time.

The Power of 40 Days

Forty days carries deep significance across spiritual traditions—from Jesus’s time in the wilderness to Celtic seasonal transitions. This period allows for death and rebirth cycles to complete, moving beyond habit formation into genuine transformation. The ancient Celtic monks knew this when they undertook their “desert” practices on wild islands and remote hermitages.

As John O’Donohue notes, “The Celts believed that time was a circular path on which fate and destiny were the secret rhythm.” By committing to 40 days, we honor this rhythm and open ourselves to deeper awakening.

I didn’t grow up in a tradition that valued written prayers; in the faith communities I was raised in, spontaneity was prized above repetition. Monotony was the enemy, especially in Pentecostal and charismatic circles—we wanted to keep things fresh! But I avoid what Jesus chastises as vain repetition by keeping my engagement with it whole-heartedly fresh each day. I’ve discovered what the desert mothers and fathers knew—that repetition with attention creates the conditions for transformation. Each day, this prayer becomes new as we bring our full presence to it, engaging mind, heart, and body in what the Christian mystics call prayer of the whole person.

If you join me in this journey, please share your experiences in the comments below! Note any shifts in awareness, dreams, synchronicities, or challenges. The Celtic Christians understood that we journey best in the company of anamchara—soul friends—who witness our path. Let’s be that for each other.

Life is a journey, we’re fond of saying. But as the Celtic tradition reminds us, it’s a spiral path that leads us through darkness and light, and we need practices that sustain us in both. Patrick knew this and reflected life’s turbulent possibilities in this prayer. May we find ourselves held in the fierce and tender strength of God, reflected in each other and our world.

áiméan!

Recommended Resources

To support your 40-day journey, here are resources that bridge Celtic wisdom, contemplative practice, and embodied spirituality:

Celtic Christian Wisdom

• Christ of the Celts: The Healing of Creation by John Philip Newell
• The Wisdom of the Celtic Saints by Edward C. Sellner
• Listening for the Heartbeat of God by J. Philip Newell
• Water from an Ancient Well: Celtic Spirituality for Modern Life by Kenneth McIntosh
• The Celtic Way of Prayer by Esther de Waal
• Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community by Pádraig Ó Tuama
• Walking in Wonder: Eternal Wisdom for a Modern World by John O’Donohue

Embodied Spiritual Practice

• Behold What You Are: Becoming the Body of Christ by Lisa G. Fischbeck
• BodyPrayer: The Posture of Intimacy with God by Doug Pagitt
• God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness and Embodied Spiritual Practice by Jay Michaelson
• The Wisdom Way of Knowing by Cynthia Bourgeault (on three-centered awareness)
• Prayers of the Cosmos by Neil Douglas-Klotz (embodied Aramaic prayer practices)
• In Search of the Miraculous by P.D. Ouspensky (on Gurdjieff’s teachings)
• The Illuminated Prayer: The Five-Times Prayer of the Sufis by Coleman Barks (Sufi prayer practices that complement Celtic rhythms)

Contemporary Celtic Voices

• Every Earthly Blessing by Esther de Waal
• An Invitation to Celtic Wisdom A Little Guide to Mystery, Spirit, and Compassion by Carl McColman
• Heart and Mind: The Four-Gospel Journey for Radical Transformation by Alexander John Shaia 
• If Darwin Prayed: Prayers for Evolutionary Mystics by Bruce Sanguin (evolutionary spirituality with Celtic themes)
• Soil and Soul by Alastair McIntosh (Celtic activism and spirituality)
• Anam Cara by John O’Donohue
• The Soul’s Slow Ripening by Christine Valters Paintner (Celtic spiritual practices)
• The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation by Richard Rohr and yours truly

Online Resources

• In Search of a New Eden (Justin Coutts’ website exploring Celtic Christian practices)
• Abbey of the Arts (Christine Valters Paintner’s Celtic-inspired contemplative community)
• Earth & Soul (John Philip Newell’s organization for Celtic spirituality)
• Spiritual Wanderlust (with Kelly Deutsch and friends)
• Gurdjieff World Forum (practical exercises based on Gurdjieff’s teachings that complement Celtic prayer)

…and consider taking an Ireland Retreat with Gareth Higgins!

I leave you with two awesome renditions of the Breastplate: The first by Vineyard Canada worship leader David Ruis, capturing much of the fierceness I hear in the prayer…

…and the second filmed on-location in Northern Ireland, featuring Jean Watson and cast members and crew from Game of Thrones!

This is an updated post, originally published on March 17, 2019.

Related posts:

Receiving an Unshakable Kingdom | Your Invitation to the Magdalene Pilgrimage Bringing forth what is within you: A nine-day prayer invitation with Michael the Archangel The Soul’s Slow Ripening | Christine Valters Paintner What we can learn from Christianity, Paganism, and…Psychedelics? Roger Wolsey on ‘Discovering Fire’!