Lorica (incantation)

In the Christian monastic tradition, a lorica is a prayer recited for protection. It is essentially a 'protection prayer' in which the petitioner invokes all the power of God as a safeguard against evil in its many forms. The Latin word lorica originally meant "armor" or "breastplate." Both meanings come together in the practice of placing verbal inscriptions on the shields or armorial trappings of knights, who might recite them before going into battle.

The idea underlying the name is probably derived from Ephesians 6:14, where the Apostle bids his readers stand, "having put on the breast-plate of righteousness,".[1]

Notable loricas include Rob tu mo bhoile, a Comdi cride, which in its English translation provides the text for the hymn Be Thou My Vision, the Lorica of Laidcenn, the Lorica of Saint Fursey and the Lorica of Saint Patrick, which begins

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

Lorica of St Patrick

Linguists cannot trace this lorica back further than the eighth century, which raises the question of whether it was based on an earlier poem dating back to the time of St. Patrick (5th century), or whether actually completely unknown to the saint to whom it has been ascribed.[2]

Lorica of St Fursey (or Fursa)

The Lorica of St Fursa dates from the early seventh century and is still a popular prayer in Ireland. The translation, from Old Irish and German, was made by Fr Francis Mullaghy CSSR and Fr Richard Tobin CSSR, for use in St Joseph's Monastery, Dundalk, Co Louth. This Lorica translation is quoted by John Ó Ríordáin (3) and begins:

The arms of God be around my shoulders,

The touch of the Holy Spirit upon my head,

The sign of Christ’s cross upon my forehead,

The sound of the Holy Spirit in my ears,

The original text of the Fursey Lorica is held in the British Library (4)

External links

Reference

  1. ↑ "Gildae Lorica", Early Church Fathers, pp.289-293, (1899)
  2. ↑ St Patrick, a Visual Celebration, Davis, Courtney, Blandford, 1999, p. 31, “St Patrick’s Breastplate”, Gill, Elaine

3. 'The Music of What Happens', John Ó Ríordáin, pp. 46-47, The Comumba Press Dublin, 1996

4. Add MS 30512 folio.35v

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