With its lush, green, rolling hills and idyllic landscape, it's hard to imagine Ireland as anything other than a peaceful land. But in the 4th century, the spiritual landscape of the country was dark and chaotic. Pagan practices and witchcraft ruled the area, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ actively opposed those forces. It was a savage spiritual battlefield.
Pagan Ireland
Pre-Christian Ireland practiced a Celtic pagan religion overseen by Druids. These were not merely philosophers or teachers; they were judges, magicians, astrologers, and advisors to kings.
The Druids:
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Offered animal (and occasionally human) sacrifices
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Practiced divination, spell-casting, and prophecy
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Claimed power over weather, fertility, illness, and death
The spiritual world was considered dangerous and unpredictable, and appeasing spirits was essential for survival.
To oppose these spiritual forces was to go straight into the trenches of spiritual battle: and that's exactly what Christianity did.
The Arrival of Saint Patrick
Having been formerly enslaved in Ireland, Saint Patrick later returned to evangelize the nation. This call from the Lord was deep and expansive, for it required Patrick to truly lay down his safety and comfort for the sake of the Gospel.
Patrick didn’t merely introduce a new moral teaching, he publicly confronted Druidic power, proclaimed Christ as Lord over all spiritual forces, and baptized converts away from fear-based pagan into the freedom of the One True God.
The people of Ireland who were once enslaved to fear were now coming to experience the joy and light of life in Jesus!
But this fruit would not be born without opposition.
Saint Patrick's Breastplate
Once, Patrick and his companions were traveling to confront a pagan king and preach the Gospel. Along the way, they were ambushed by hostile forces. These were likely Druids or warriors loyal to pagan rulers, and they intended to kill him.
Knowing they were in grave danger, Patrick prayed what we now know as Saint Patrick’s Breastplate:
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with 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 the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The 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 shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose 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 witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.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 when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man 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.
After Patrick finished praying, the pursuers looked toward the road where Patrick and his companions were crossing. Instead of seeing men, they saw a stag with its fawns passing through the landscape.
Thus, the attackers let them pass unharmed.
This is why the prayer is sometimes called “The Deer’s Cry.”
The Lord was with Patrick and those seeking to spread the Gospel. In response to Patrick's bold and powerful prayer, He protected them and allowed them to plant seeds that would bloom far beyond the borders of the Emerald Isle.
The Conversion of Ireland... and Europe
Through Saint Patrick's efforts, Ireland was converted without conquest.
Entire households were baptized together. Kings converted and brought their people with them. Dozens of churches were built were pagan ritual sites once stood. Monasteries formed rapidly. Christianity was woven into the fabric of daily life.
In a land once governed by fear and anti-human, anti-God ideas, learning, beauty, and virtue flourished, healing the land.
This explosion of grace would not remain in Ireland, however. In His goodness, the Lord had even greater plans for the Faith that was fostered in Ireland after Saint Patrick's missionary work.
Through the 5th-7th centuries, the Western Roman Empire collapsed. And much of Europe was destroyed with it.
Cities were destroyed. Churches were burned. Literacy decreased.
But In Ireland, monasteries and faith communities preserved Sacred Scripture, copied manuscripts, engaged in classical learning, and prepared missionaries.
Irish like Saints Columba, Columbanus, and Aiden re-evangelized Europe. The work of Irish monks re-introduced the Truth to a post-Roman Europe. The Irish missionary efforts re-educated clergy and once again instilled a Catholic culture in communities.
Evangelization in Our Homes
As parents, Saint Patrick offers us an incredible witness.
We may not be hunted by Druids in a foreign land, but we are engaged in a spiritual battle as we aim to evangelize our children. To think any less is to discredit the mission entrusted to us.
Saint Patrick's Breastplate is a beautiful prayer for us to utilize. Further, we get to imitate the monasteries of Ireland by cultivating beauty, telling stories, and memorizing Scripture. We get to prepare our children to be missionaries, too, wherever God calls them.
May we labor as courageously and boldly as Saint Patrick, confident in the Lord's presence and protection!
Want to learn more about Saint Patrick with your children? Check out this open-and-go study for Saint Patrick's feast day!
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