Press Releases17 Mar 20

St Patrick’s Day

The Church of Ireland’s links with his legacy

Patrick

St Patrick’s Day is marked annually in Ireland and around the world on 17th March.

For the Church of Ireland, this day first and foremost celebrates St Patrick’s mission in bringing the Gospel to our island.  The subsequent growth of the Church in Ireland sustained a continued witness for Jesus in Europe through the early Middle Ages.  Irish missionaries shared the Gospel from there to Britain and across the continent.

The Church of Ireland traces its history back to St Patrick’s arrival (around 432 AD) and the early Celtic Church.

Prayer

A number of prayers from the Book of Common Prayer help to focus our thoughts and our thanksgiving:

A Prayer for Ireland

Almighty and merciful God, who in days of old didst give to this land the benediction of thy holy Church; Withdraw not, we pray thee, thy favour from us, but so correct what is amiss, and supply what is lacking, that we may more and more bring forth fruit to thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Collects for St Patrick’s Day

O almighty God, who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, that he might bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of thee; Grant us so to walk in that light, that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord.

Almighty God, in your providence you chose your servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of your Word: Grant that walking in that light we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A Post–Communion Collect for St Patrick’s Day

Hear us, most merciful God, for that part of the Church which through your servant Patrick you planted in our land; that it may hold fast the faith entrusted to the saints and in the end bear much fruit to eternal life: through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Presence

This morning, as happens every year, a service of Holy Communion will take place at Saul Church (largely in the open air), followed by a Festival Service in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick.  These and several other services in different parts of the island celebrate his legacy.  Saul is the site of Ireland’s first known Christian church, where local Christians met in a barn (sabhall) given to Patrick by Dichu, a chieftain who came to faith in Jesus.

During his mission to Ireland, Patrick founded a church in Armagh, which has become Ireland’s ecclesiastical capital.  In this interview below, former Archbishop of Armagh Alan Harper discusses the life and times of St Patrick, including what we know from research into early manuscripts referring to him, and his relevance in today’s world.

His name is honoured in many churches and cathedrals across Ireland today (and beyond). Patrick’s focus was on following Jesus and bringing others to know him.  As he said: ‘Many were reborn in God through me and afterwards confirmed, and clerics were ordained for them everywhere, for a people just coming to faith, whom the Lord took from the uttermost parts of the earth.’