The breastplate of St. Patrick

St. Patrick’s Day is known as a day of celebration of Irish heritage. What is less well known, is who St. Patrick himself actually was.

Today we pray the prayer credited to him, the breastplate of St. Patrick:

“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.”