This is the closing section of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, an 8th-century Irish prayer also called a ‘lorica’ (Latin for ‘breastplate’ or ‘armor’). Christians pray it when they need to feel Christ’s presence surrounding them completely. Start your morning with it, or return to it when you feel exposed.
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 every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Salvation is of the Lord, salvation is of the Lord, salvation is of Christ; may thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
Attributed to St. Patrick, 8th century ‘Lorica’
How this prayer works
The prayer maps Christ onto every dimension of space and time: the six directions (above, beneath, four sides), three postures (lying, sitting, rising), and four human faculties that encounter you (heart, mouth, eye, ear). It’s asking for total enclosure in Christ’s presence.
Irish monks used ‘lorica’ prayers as spiritual armor before facing danger, whether a journey through hostile territory or a day of evangelizing pagans. The structure is deliberate: by naming every direction and moment, the prayer leaves no gap where fear or evil can enter.
Pray it aloud before you leave the house, speaking slowly through each phrase. Let the rhythm build: Christ *with*, Christ *before*, Christ *behind*. When you reach ‘Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,’ you’re praying that even the thoughts others direct toward you today will be filled with Christ. That’s protection at the deepest level.
Carry it through this morning.
