"I’ve depicted the great Apostle of Ireland in the garb of a bishop, with a green gold-embroidered chasuble and the pallium that designates him as a bishop. He also wears a bishop’s mitre (trimmed with some decorative Celtic knotwork and a Celtic cross) and holds a bishop’s crosier which is decorated with various symbols of the Trinity especially associated with St. Patrick, namely the shamrock and the triquetra with a circle. In his left hand he holds a book of the Gospels (symbolizing his preaching and missionary zeal for spreading the word of God) and in his right hand he holds a shamrock, as a reference to his using it as a symbol to explain the Trinity to the Irish." – Theophilia, American artist and iconographer, March 16th, 2016.
Saint Patrick was born in South Wales in 387, to the family of a Roman official.
Aged 16 he was kidnapped, and sold into slavery in Ireland. He managed to escape
by boat back to Britain six years later, and from there travelled to France
to Saint Martin's monastery in Tours. He was ordained priest, and had a vision of the Irish people begging him to return. The Pope gave him the name Patricius, and commissioned him to missionary work in Ireland in 432.
In 455 Patrick became the primate bishop of Ireland at Ard Macha, a place not far from the seat of the Ulster Kings. He died in March 461 A.D. The date has been disputed: some believing it to be March 8th, others March 9th. Therefore to arrive at a conclusion both dates were added together, and since then the official date
is March 17th!
Our God is the God of all, The God of heaven and earth, Of the sea and of the rivers; The God of the sun and of the moon and of all the stars; The God of the lofty mountains and of the lowly valleys. He has His dwelling around heaven and earth, and sea, and all that in them is. He inspires all, He gives life to all, He dominates all, He supports all. He lights the light of the sun. He furnishes the light of the night. He has made springs in dry land . . . He is the God of heaven and earth, of sea and rivers, of sun, moon and stars, of the lofty mountain and the lowly valley, the God above heaven, and in heaven, and under heaven.
Lord, be with us this day, Within us to purify us; Above us to draw us up; Beneath us to sustain us; Before us to lead us; Behind us to restrain us; Around us to protect us.
I arise today,
through the strength of heaven: Light of sun, radiance of moon.
Splendour of fire, speed of lightning, Swiftness of wind, depth of sea, Stability of earth, and 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. From the snares of devils, from temptation of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, Afar and near, alone and in a multitude.
Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit,
in my waking and sleeping,
go back into my memory.
Every hurt that has ever been done to me;
heal that hurt.
Every hurt that I have ever caused to another person;
heal that hurt.
I choose to forgive,
and I ask to be forgiven.
Remove whatever bitterness may be in my heart,
and fill the empty spaces with your Love. Amen.