16 St Patrick's Day Prayers & Irish Blessings

Becky lives in Texas with her husband and two sons. She is passionate about supporting people in drawing nearer to Christ using Scripture, prayer, and journaling.

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Use these St Patrick’s Day prayers to celebrate this holiday at church, events, or home and bless your loved ones with prayers and Irish Blessings.

The most popular Irish holiday St. Patrick’s Day takes place on March 17th each year. St. Patrick’s Day is a Roman Catholic holiday. The event commemorates the day that Saint Patrick, known as the patron saint of Ireland died.

If you are celebrating the holiday, you can use these St. Patrick’s Day prayers, which include Irish prayers and blessings for the day. And along with those prayers is a look back at the story behind St. Patrick’s Day, and how it has grown to be what it is today.

St. Patrick was a fifth century priest, who was born in AD 387 in Kilpatrick, Scotland. He is a significant figure in church history due to the events that took place in his life.

At just sixteen years of age, he was captured, and taken to Ireland. That is where he spent six years enslaved. He was able to escape from captivity but later returned to Ireland to bring Christianity to the people.

As a priest, he founded churches, monasteries, and schools throughout Ireland. It is supposed that he converted over 135,000 people, and founded 500 churches during his 30 years of missionary work in Ireland.

Though he is popularly known and referred to as Saint Patrick, it seems a less commonly known fact is that the Catholic Church never canonized him as a saint. This is due to the fact that there was no formal canonization process during his lifetime in the 400s.

Though it started as a religious feast day, it has grown especially in America into a secular celebration of Irish heritage, due to Irish immigrants. The famous green, and shamrocks, the national plant of Ireland are two distinct parts of the parades and celebrations each year.

Though St. Patrick’s Day is not mentioned in Scripture, and some of his teachings do not align with God’s Word, his life and dedication to proclaiming the gospel 1,600 years ago is something that we can celebrate as Christians.

St Patrick’s Day Prayers

1. The Breastplate/Lorica Prayer By St. Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and 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 obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the 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 hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who desires me ill,
Afar and near,
Alone or in a multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes 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 women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

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

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

2. A St. Patrick’s Day Prayer Of Praise

Father,

We give You praise for the many men and women whom You have used in history to spread the gospel. On this day, we remember the life of St. Patrick, who took on the dangerous task of returning to the country of his captivity and preaching the gospel.

Through him, You brought Christianity to those who did not know Christ. And You brought thousands to faith. May we use this day to bring You praise for the work You do through mankind, and that You continue to do today.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

3. A St. Patrick’s Day Prayer For Hope In Jesus

Lord,

As many across the world come together to celebrate this historic Day of St. Patrick’s, our prayer is that their hope will be placed in Christ. We pray for those for whom this day is simply a secular event, asking that You bring to their minds the Jesus who St. Patrick proclaimed all those years ago.

May we not only celebrate the work that You have done through his life but to celebrate Christ, Himself. Not only on this day but every day. We ask that You fill our own hearts with the hope that is found in Christ. May we live in that hope each and every day.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

4. A St. Patrick’s Day Prayer For Grace To Abound

Heavenly Father,

We are grateful for this day and its significance. As we reflect on the life of Patrick, we ask that Your grace abound in our lives. Just as You used him to take the gospel out into the world, You have called us to do the same.

We ask that You teach us to live sacrificial lives. May we find the strength that we need to live set apart from the world’s ways, and to be witnesses for Christ. May Your grace overflow in our areas. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.

5. A St. Patrick’s Day Prayer Of Celebration

Gracious God,

We come before You with hearts that are filled with praise. We praise You for the powerful way in which You used, Your servant, Patrick, to bring the Word of Christ to the people of Ireland.

We celebrate not only the ways in which You used him but ultimately the victory of Christ against sin and death. May we live in that same conviction daily, and be ready to share the gospel in and out of season. In Jesus’ name, amen.

6. An Irish Prayer

May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace. May your troubles grow few as your Irish blessings increase. May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.

May your hands be forever clasped in friendship and your hearts joined forever in love. Your lives are very special, and God has touched you in many ways.

May his blessings rest upon you and fill all your coming days.

10 Irish Blessings

1. The Palm of His Hand

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

2. The Mantle of His Love

May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.
May the sunshine brighten your heart
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love.

3. Grace and Protection

May the grace of God’s protection
And His great love abide
Within your home-within the hearts
Of all who dwell inside.

4. Friendships

May the friendships you make,
Be those which endure,
And all of your grey clouds
Be small ones for sure.
And trusting in Him
To Whom we all pray,
May a song fill your heart,
Every step of the way.

5. Blessings Abound

May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow.
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

6. Everything Your Heart Desires

May you always have walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire.

7. For Abundance

Like the goodness of the five loaves and two fishes, Which God divided among the five thousand men, May the blessing of the King who so divided
Be upon our share of this common meal.

8. An Answer For Every Prayer

May God give you:
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
And or every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

9. Happiness Instead of Tears

For the test of the heart is trouble
And it always comes with years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears.

10. Nothing But Happiness

May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness.
From this day forward.