"Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." -Thomas Jefferson Liberty Bell :: St. Patrick’s Day :: March :: 2006

March 17, 2006

St. Patrick’s Day

Filed under: Quotes, Current Events



The Rune of St Patrick

At Tara today in this fateful hour
I place all Heaven with its power,
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And fire with all the strength it hath,
And lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along their path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness
All these I place,
By God’s almighty help and grace,
Between myself and the powers of darkness.

The Rune of St. Patrick is a variation on the much longer Lorica. Tradition tells us that Patrick said this protection prayer as he walked from the Hill of Slane to Tara to confront the High King who he believed to be representing the powers of darkness. Also according to legend, St. Patrick and his followers were turned into deer when they were being pursued by the king’s men early one morning. As the Lorica of St. Patrick–a lorica being a type of prayer of protection (literally meaning “breastplate”), which was popular in Celtic countries–it is used not only as a morning prayer, but as a prayer of protection.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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