READERS ask us, every year, about the wondrous, centuries-old prayer known popularly as
St. Patrick’s Breastplate. The original prayer was based on a passage in Ephesians in the New
Testament of the Bible in which St. Paul talks about putting on the
“armor of God” each day.
HERE IS OUR ORIGINAL STORY of the prayer with two different versions!
BUT, LATER, a reader Emailed asking what the opening lines might look like in the original Gaelic. And, of course, we want to share at least a bit of that version with you.
Atomriug indiu
niurt tréun:
togairm Trindóit
faístin Oendatad,
i nDúlemon dáil.
Atomriug indiu
niurt gene Críst cona bathius,
niurt a chrochtho cona adnacul,
niurt a essérgi cona fhresgabáil,
niurt a thoíniudo fri brithemnas mbrátho.
Atomriug indiu
niurt gráid hiruphin,
i n-aurlataid aingel,
i frestul inna n-archaingel,
i freiscisin esséirgi
ar chiunn fochraicce,
i n-ernaigthib uasalathrach,
i tairchetlaib fáithe,
i preceptaib apstal,
i n-iresaib foísmedach,
i n-enccai noebingen,
i ngnímaib fer firén.
This is just one small sample of the Gaelic treasures you’ll discover in a collection by John Carey from Four Courts Press, Dublin: CLICK HERE to order a copy of “King of Mysteries: Early Irish Religious Writings,” which inclues a Gaelic version of St. Patrick’s Breastplate.
AND, FOR MUCH MORE: HERE IS OUR ORIGINAL STORY on the prayer with two different versions!
Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.
