An Irish Prayer for Halloween

Published: October 22nd, 2006

Halloween originated as a Pagan festival among the Irish Celts with immigrants transporting versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween in the late 20th century. The term Halloween, and its older spelling Hallowe'en, is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the evening before "All Hallows' Day" (also known as "All Saints' Day"). The festival was also known as Samhain to the Irish, marking as it did the end of the pagan year and the beginning of winter. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when the spiritual world can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent (e.g. certain Catalan mythology and Irish tales of the Sidhe).
 

How then are we to respond?

If it's true that this is indeed one of those times of the year when the spiritual world is closer to our consciousness, let's avoid the foolish extremes of naivety on one hand and fearfulness on the other. Instead let's seize the moment in faith, giving ourselves to prayer in the name of the victorious Lord Jesus Christ! Why not use the words of Ireland's greatest saint, St Patrick, who vividly perceived both the reality of spiritual warfare and the victory of Jesus Christ in which all saints may stand:
 
Saint Patrick's
Breastplate

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
 
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose 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 witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
 
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.
 
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.
 
AMEN.
 

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