Canon de Saint-Patrick (Lorica)

"Le cri du daim" ("Faed Fiada" en gaélique)

Je me lève aujourd'hui

par une Force Puissante,
l'invocation à la Trinité,
la croyance à la Trinité,
la confession de l'unité du Créateur du monde.

Je me lève aujourd'hui,
par la force de la naissance du Christ et de Son Baptême,
la force de Sa Crucifixion et de Sa mise au tombeau,
la force de Sa Résurrection et de Son Ascension,
la force de Sa Venue au jour du Jugement.

Je me lève aujourd'hui,
par la force des ordres des Chérubins,
dans l'obéissance des Anges,
dans le service des Archanges,
dans l'espoir de la Résurrection,
dans les prières des Patriarches,
dans les prédictions des Prophètes,
dans les prédications des Apôtres,
dans les fidélités des Confesseurs,
dans l'innocence des Vierges Saintes,
dans les actions des Hommes Justes.

Je me lève aujourd'hui,
par la force du Ciel,
lumière du Ciel,
lumière du Soleil,
éclat de la Lune,
splendeur du Feu,
vitesse de l'Éclair,
rapidité du Vent,
profondeur de la Mer,
stabilité de la Terre,
solidité de la Pierre.

Je me lève aujourd'hui,
par la Force de Dieu pour me guider,
Puissance de Dieu pour me soutenir,
Intelligence de Dieu pour me conduire,
Oeil de Dieu pour regarder devant moi,
Oreille de Dieu pour m'entendre,
Parole de Dieu pour parler pour moi,
Main de Dieu pour me garder,
Chemin de Dieu pour me précéder,
Bouclier de Dieu pour me protéger,
Armée de Dieu pour me sauver :
des filets des démons,
des séductions des vices,
des inclinations de la nature,
de tous les hommes qui me désirent du mal,
de loin et de près,
dans la solitude et dans une multitude.

J'appelle aujourd'hui toutes ces forces
entre moi et le mal,
contre toute force cruelle impitoyable
qui attaque mon corps et mon âme,
contre les incantations des faux prophètes,
contre les lois noires du paganisme,

contre les lois fausses des hérétiques,
contre la puissance de l'idolâtrie,
contre les charmes des sorciers,
contre toute science qui souille le corps et l'âme de l'homme.

Que le Christ me protège aujourd'hui :
contre le poison, contre le feu,
contre la noyade, contre la blessure,
pour qu'il me vienne une foule de récompenses.

Le Christ avec moi,
le Christ devant moi,
le Christ derrière moi,
le Christ en moi,
le Christ au-dessus de moi,
le Christ au-dessous de moi,
le Christ à ma droite,
le Christ à ma gauche,
le Christ en largeur,
le Christ en longueur,
le Christ en hauteur,
le Christ dans le coeur de tout homme qui pense à moi,
le Christ dans tout oeil qui me voit,
le Christ dans toute oreille qui m'écoute.
Je me lève aujourd'hui,
par une Force Puissante,
l'invocation à la Trinité,
la croyance à la Trinité,
la confession de l'unité du Créateur du monde.

Au Seigneur est le Salut,
au Christ est le Salut,
que Ton Salut, Seigneur, soit toujours avec nous.

Amen ! Amen ! Amen !

Prière de Saint Patrick, Patron des Irlandais

J'avance sur ma route,
avec la Force de Dieu comme appui,
la Puissance de Dieu pour me protéger,
la Sagesse de Dieu pour me guider,
l'Oreille de Dieu, témoin de mon langage.
Christ devant moi, derrière moi,
Christ sur moi, sous moi,
Christ en moi et à mes côtés,
Christ autour et alentour,
Christ à ma gauche et Christ à ma droite,
Christ avec moi le matin et le soir,
Christ dans chaque cœur qui pensera à moi,
Christ dans chaque regard qui se posera sur moi,
Christ dans chaque oreille qui m'écoutera.

Maewyn Succat

385-461

Extraits de la Confession de Saint-Patrick

« C'est pourquoi je Lui rends grâce, à Lui qui me fortifia en tout, car Il ne frustra ni la route que j'avais choisie, ni l'oeuvre que m'avait enseignée le Christ mon Seigneur ; mais je sentis plutôt, après cela, une grande force et ma confiance s'est avérée fondée devant Dieu et les hommes. »

« Soyez donc émerveillés, vous, petits et grands qui craignez Dieu, et vous, hommes de lettres dans vos domaines, écoutez et considérez ceci. Qui était Celui qui m'éleva, l'insensé que je suis, du milieu de ceux qui, aux yeux des hommes, sont sages et experts dans la loi et puissants en paroles et en toutes choses ? Et Il m'inspira - moi, le rebut du monde - avant d'autres, pour que je sois l'homme (si seulement je le pouvais !) qui, avec crainte et vénération et sans reproche, serve le peuple auquel l'Amour du Christ m'a conduit et m'a donné de les servir ma vie durant avec humilité et droiture. »

« Car je suis bien en dette envers Dieu qui me donna une telle Grâce que beaucoup de gens naquirent à nouveau en Dieu par moi et furent confirmés ensuite, et des prêtres furent ordonnés pour eux partout, pour un peuple qui venait juste d'acquérir la foi, peuple que le Seigneur prit des extrémités de la terre, comme Il l'avait promis autrefois par ses prophètes : "Les nations viendront à Toi des extrémités de la terre et diront : qu'elles sont fausses, les idoles que nos pères s'étaient faites et il n'y a pas de profit en eux" ; et encore : "Je T'ai établi comme une lumière parmi les nations pour que Tu puisses être leur salut jusqu'aux extrémités de la terre."
Et c'est là que je souhaite attendre l'accomplissement de Sa Promesse, à Lui qui ne trompe certainement jamais, comme Il le promet dans l'Évangile : "Ils viendront de l'orient et de l'occident et vont s'asseoir avec Abraham, Isaac et Jacob - comme nous croyons que les fidèles viendront de tous les coins du monde". »

« Que lui rendrai-je pour toute Sa Bonté envers moi ? Que puis-je dire ou que puis-je promettre à mon Seigneur puisque toute aptitude que j'ai vient de Lui ? Qu'il Lui suffise de regarder dans mon coeur et ma raison ; car je suis prêt et en vérité, je désire beaucoup qu'Il me donne Sa coupe à boire, comme Il l'a donné à d'autres qui L'ont aimé. Ma seule prière à Dieu est qu'il n'arrive jamais que je laisse son peuple qu'Il a gagné pour Lui au bout de la terre. Je prie Dieu pour la persévérance, qu'Il m'accorde à rester son témoin fidèle par amour pour Lui jusqu'à mon départ de cette vie. »

Saint-Patrick en photos

Confession de Foi de Saint-Patrick

« Sans relâche, je rends grâce à mon Dieu, qui m'a gardé fidèle au jour de ma tentation, si bien qu'aujourd'hui je peux avec confiance offrir mon âme en sacrifice, comme une hostie vivante, au Christ mon Seigneur, qui m'a gardé dans tous les passages difficiles de ma vie.

D'où me vient cette sagesse, qui n'était pas en moi, car je ne connaissais pas le nombre de mes jours, et je n'avais pas le goût de Dieu ? D'où m'est venu par la suite le don si grand et si salutaire de connaître Dieu et de l'aimer, au point de perdre patrie et famille, et de venir parmi les Irlandais prêcher l'Évangile ? Oui, d'où vient que j'aie pu supporter les outrages de la part des incroyants, endurer la peine de ma périgrination, et de nombreuses persécutions, y compris l'emprisonnement, et renoncer à ma libération pour être utile aux autres ?

Et si j'en suis digne, me voilà prêt à donner jusqu'à ma vie, sans hésitation et de très bon coeur, pour Son Nom ; oui, je souhaite la mettre à Son service jusqu'à la mort, si le Seigneur me le permet. Car je suis infiniment débiteur à l'égard de Dieu, Lui qui m'a accordé cette Grâce exceptionnelle de faire renaître en Dieu de nombreuses peuplades par mon intermédiaire, puis de les conduire à la plénitude de la Foi ; Il m'a permis aussi d'ordonner en tout lieu des ministres pour ce peuple venu récemment à la Foi, ce peuple que le Seigneur s'est acquis des extrémités de la terre, comme Il en avait fait autrefois la promesse par ses prohètes : "À toi viendront les nations des extrémités de la terre !". »

Prière à Saint-Patrick

Pour Te faire connaître, Seigneur,

aux peuples d'Irlande,

Tu as choisi l'Évêque Saint-Patrick ;

à sa prière et par ses mérites,

accorde à tous ceux

qui ont la joie d'être Chrétiens

d'annoncer aux hommes

les merveilles de Ton Amour.

Par Jésus, le Christ, notre Seigneur.

Amen.

Bénédiction irlandaise
An Irish Blessing

ay the road rise up to meet you,

ay the wind be always at your back,

the rain fall soft upon your fields,

and until we meet again may God

hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Prayer of Saint Patrick

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, and in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

God our Father,

your glory to the people of Ireland.

By the help of his prayers,

may all Christians proclaim your love to all men.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

 "St. Patrick's Breastplate"

"The Deer's Cry" or "The Lorica"

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the 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 Day.

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 prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

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 demons,
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 those evils,
Against every cruel 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 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.

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.

Éamon de Valera
George De Valero
1882-1975

St. Patrick's "Letter To Coroticus"

...I am forced by the zeal for God; and the truth of Christ has wrung it from me...With my own hand I have written and composed these words...

I, Patrick, a sinner, unlearned, resident in Ireland, declare myself to be a bishop. Most assuredly I believe that what I am I have received from God. And so I live among barbarians, a stranger and exile for the love of God. He is witness that this is so. Not that I wished my mouth to utter anything so hard and harsh; but I am forced by the zeal for God; and the truth of Christ has wrung it from me, out of love for my neighbors and sons for whom I gave up my country and parents and my life to the point of death. If I be worthy, I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though some may despise me.

With my own hand I have written and composed these words, to be given, delivered, and sent to the soldiers of Coroticus; I do not say, to my fellow citizens, or to fellow citizens of the holy Romans, but to fellow citizens of the demons, because of their evil works. Like our enemies, they live in death, allies of the Scots and the apostate Picts. Dripping with blood, they welter in the blood of innocent Christians, whom I have begotten into the number for God and confirmed in Christ!

...the newly baptized, anointed with chrism, in white garments (had been slain) - the fragrance was still on their foreheads when they were butchered and slaughtered with the sword...

The day after the newly baptized, anointed with chrism, in white garments (had been slain) - the fragrance was still on their foreheads when they were butchered and slaughtered with the sword by the above-mentioned people - I sent a letter with a holy presbyter whom I had taught from his childhood, clerics accompanying him, asking them to let us have some of the booty, and of the baptized they had made captives. They only jeered at them.

Hence I do not know what to lament more: those who have been slain, or those whom they have taken captive, or those whom the devil has mightily ensnared. Together with him they will be slaves in Hell in an eternal punishment; for who commits sin is a slave and will be called a son of the devil.

...let every God-fearing man know that they are enemies of me and of Christ my God, for whom I am an ambassador.

Wherefore let every God-fearing man know that they are enemies of me and of Christ my God, for whom I am an ambassador. Parricide! fratricide! ravening wolves that "eat the people of the Lord as they eat bread!" As is said, "the wicked, O Lord, have destroyed Thy law," which but recently He had excellently and kindly planted in Ireland, and which had established itself by the grace of God.

I make no false claim. I share in the work of those whom He called and predestinated to preach the Gospel amidst grave persecutions unto the end of the earth, even if the enemy shows his jealousy through the tyranny of Coroticus, a man who has no respect for God nor for His priests whom He chose, giving them the highest, divine, and sublime power, that whom "they should bind upon earth should be bound also in Heaven."

...it is not permissible to court the favor of such people, nor to take food or drink with them, nor even to accept their alms, until they...set free the baptized servants of God and handmaids of Christ, for whom He died and was crucified.

Wherefore, then, I plead with you earnestly, ye holy and humble of heart, it is not permissible to court the favor of such people, nor to take food or drink with them, nor even to accept their alms, until they make reparation to God in hard-ships, through penance, with shedding of tears, and set free the baptized servants of God and handmaids of Christ, for whom He died and was crucified.

"The Most High disapproves the gifts of the wicked ... He that offers sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one that sacrifices the son in the presence of his lather. The riches, it is written, which he has gathered unjustly, shall be vomited up from his belly; the angel of death drags him away, by the fury of dragons he shall be tormented, the viper's tongue shall kill him, unquenchable fire devours him." And so - "woe to those who fill themselves with what is not their own;" or, "What does it profit a man that he gains the whole world, and suffers the loss of his own soul?

How much more guilty is he that has stained his hands with blood of the sons of God whom He has of late purchased in the utmost part of the earth...

It would be too tedious to discuss and set forth everything in detail, to gather from the whole Law testimonies against such greed. Avarice is a deadly sin. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods." "Thou shalt not kill." A murderer cannot be with Christ. "Whosoever hates his brother is accounted a murderer." Or, "he that loves not his brother abides in death." How much more guilty is he that has stained his hands with blood of the sons of God whom He has of late purchased in the utmost part of the earth through the call of our littleness!

Did I come to Ireland without God, or according to the flesh? Who compelled me? I am bound by the Spirit not to see any of my kinsfolk. Is it of my own doing that I have holy mercy on the people who once took me captive and made away with the servants and maids of my father's house? I was freeborn according to the flesh. I am the son of a decurion. But I sold my noble rank, I am neither ashamed nor sorry, for the good of others. Thus I am a servant in Christ to a foreign nation for the unspeakable glory of life everlasting which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is not my grace, but God who has given this solicitude into my heart...

And if my own people do not know me, a prophet has no honor in his own country. Perhaps we are not of the same fold and have not one and the same God as father, as is written: "He that is not with me, is against me, and he that gathers not with me, scatters." It is not right that one destroys, another builds up. I seek not the things that are mine.

It is not my grace, but God who has given this solicitude into my heart, to be one of His hunters or fishers whom God once foretold would come in the last days.

...the sons and daughters of kings were monks and virgins of Christ - I cannot count their number.

I am hated. What shall I do, Lord? I am most despised. Look, Thy sheep around me are tom to pieces and driven away, and that by those robbers, by the orders of the hostile-minded Coroticus. Far from the love of God is a man who hands over Christians to the Picts and Scots. Ravening wolves have devoured the flock of the Lord, which in Ireland was indeed growing splendidly with the greatest care; and the sons and daughters of kings were monks and virgins of Christ - I cannot count their number. Wherefore, be not pleased with the wrong done to the just; even to hell it shall not please.

Who of the saints would not shudder to be merry with such persons or to enjoy a meal with them? They have filled their houses with the spoils of dead Christians, they live on plunder. They do not know, the wretches, that what they offer their friends and sons as food is deadly poison, just as Eve did not understand that it was death she gave to her husband. So are all that do evil: they work death as their eternal punishment.

...the Roman Christians of Gaul...ransom baptized captives. You prefer to kill and sell them to a foreign nation that has no knowledge of God.

This is the custom of the Roman Christians of Gaul: they send holy and able men to the Franks and other heathen with so many thousand solidi to ransom baptized captives. You prefer to kill and sell them to a foreign nation that has no knowledge of God. You betray the members of Christ as it were into a brothel. What hope have you in God, or anyone who thinks as you do, or converses with you in words of flattery? God will judge. For Scripture says: "Not only them that do evil are worthy to be condemned, but they also that consent to them."

I do not know why I should say or speak further about the departed ones of the sons of God, whom the sword has touched all too harshly. For Scripture says: "Weep with them that weep;" and again: "If one member be grieved, let all members grieve with it." Hence the Church mourns and laments her sons and daughters whom the sword has not yet slain, but who were removed and carried off to faraway lands, where sin abounds openly, grossly, impudently. There people who were freeborn have, been sold, Christians made slaves, and that, too, in the service of the abominable, wicked, and apostate Picts!

Perhaps they do not believe that we have received one and the same baptism, or have one and the same God as Father. For them it is a disgrace that we are Irish.

Therefore I shall raise my voice in sadness and grief - O you fair and beloved brethren and sons whom I have begotten in Christ, countless of number, what can I do you for? I am not worthy to come to the help of God or men. The wickedness of the wicked hath prevailed over us. We have been made, as it were, strangers. Perhaps they do not believe that we have received one and the same baptism, or have one and the same God as Father. For them it is a disgrace that we are Irish. Have ye not, as is written, one God? Have ye, every one of you, forsaken his neighbor?

Therefore I grieve for you, I grieve, my dearly beloved. But again, I rejoice within myself. I have not labored for nothing, and my journeying abroad has not been in vain. And if this horrible, unspeakable crime did happen - thanks be to God, you have left the world and have gone to Paradise as baptized faithful. I see you: you have begun to journey where night shall be no more, nor mourning, nor death; but you shall leap like calves loosened from their bonds, and you shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be ashes under your feet.

...Coroticus with his criminals, rebels against Christ, where will they see themselves, they who distribute baptized women as prizes - for a miserable temporal kingdom, which will pass away in a moment...

You then, will reign with the apostles, and prophets, and martyrs. You will take possession of an eternal kingdom, as He Himself testifies, saying: "They shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." "Without are dogs, and sorcerers, ...and murderers; and liars and perjurers have their portion in the pool of everlasting fire." Not without reason does the Apostle say: "Where the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly transgressor of the law find himself?"

Where, then, will Coroticus with his criminals, rebels against Christ, where will they see themselves, they who distribute baptized women as prizes - for a miserable temporal kingdom, which will pass away in a moment? As a cloud or smoke that is dispersed by the wind, so shall the deceitful wicked perish at the presence of the Lord; but the just shall feast with great constancy with Christ, they shall judge nations, and rule over wicked kings for ever and ever. Amen.

I ask earnestly that whoever is a willing servant of God be a carrier of this letter, so that on no account it be suppressed or hidden by anyone, but rather be read before all the people, and in the presence of Coroticus himself.

I testify before God and His angels that it will be so as He indicated to my ignorance. It is not my words that I have set forth in Latin, but those of God and the apostles and prophets, who have never lied. "He that believes shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned," God hath spoken.

I ask earnestly that whoever is a willing servant of God be a carrier of this letter, so that on no account it be suppressed or hidden by anyone, but rather be read before all the people, and in the presence of Coroticus himself. May God inspire them sometime to recover their senses for God, repenting, however late, their heinous deeds - murderers of the brethren of the Lord! - and to set free the baptized women whom they took captive, in order that they may deserve to live to God, and be made whole, here and in eternity! Be peace to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Irish Blessings