Muirchu – Blisswood

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit!

Shamrocks Blossom Forth by Our Kitchen Window

Warm greetings to you as we begin our 5th week of Great Lent!

In Irish Gaelic, the post’s title literally means, Happy Feast Day of St. Patrick, and pronounced in English: Law Fay-lah Paw-rig sona ghit.

Today (March 30/17), on the old style Julian calendar, we celebrate St. Patrick the Enlightener of Ireland.

Icons of 5th Century St. Patrick often show him with or holding a three-leafed shamrock growing on a single stem. When he was asked to explain the Mystery of the Holy Trinity in a simple manner, St. Patrick picked a tiny shamrock (a low growing plant of the clover family) and with its three lobed leaves on a single stem, demonstrated how God the Father-God the Son-and God the Holy Spirit, are the Holy Trinity – One in Essence, and Undivided… Our One God in Three Persons!

Please see this fascinating material from the Royal Irish Academy about St. Patrick, written by the 7th century monk Muirchú.

The 2019 Youth Choir sing a very abbreviated version from The Breastplate of St. Patrick.

Through the prayers of St. Patrick the Enlightener of Ireland, may God bless you and give you help!

My Sweet’n Savory Irish Beer Bread Recipe (Lenten)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2024!

Shamrock Image by Jenneth Graser from Pixabay

Today on the old style (Julian) calendar, we celebrate the 5th century St. Patrick of Ireland. He is also known as St. Patrick, Bishop of Armagh, Enlightener of Ireland. (March 17th falls 13 days later on the Julian Calendar)

Here are some fascinating historical documents about St. Patrick, written by the 7th century monk Muirchú from the Royal Irish Academy.

Icons of St. Patrick often show him holding a three-leafed shamrock growing on a single stem, he used this to illustrate the Holy Trinity – our One God in Three Persons.

St. Patrick wrote many hymns. Here is an excerpt from a beautiful, longer hymn, the Lorica (Breastplate) of St. Patrick. “I bind unto myself today, the Strong Name of the Trinity! By Invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three!” ~ St. Patrick

Abbreviated Lorica Hymn of St. Patrick’s Prayer, recorded and sung below, by our Youth Choir in 2019.

One of his many miracles: During a perilous journey to share the Christian faith in King Loegaire’s territory, the saint discovered they were in mortal danger of an ambush. He prayed the Lorica Prayer, and to those lying in ambush, the saint and his company of monks appeared to them as if they were wild deer, and not humans. Because of this miracle, the Lorica Prayer is also known as The Deer’s Cry.

The early fifth century Enlightenment of Ireland by St. Patrick and his brethren, has been called the most successful single missionary venture in the history of the church.

A short recording by my GG’s

Today is also the 4th anniversary of my first Blisswood posting (A Shamrock Day) which fell upon St. Patrick’s Day in 2020! Thank you for visiting!

Below are two easy, tasty, recipes to celebrate St. Patrick’s day – or any day!

An online Plant Based Colcannon (Potato/Cabbage) Side Dish Recipe, and…

Here’s my own, new, Sweet’n Savory Irish Beer Bread Recipe!

May Christ’s Divine Joy and Peace fill our hearts – as we strive to live in the awareness of His Glorious Presence.

Holy St. Patrick, pray to God for us!

A Touch of Green on Forgiveness Sunday

Image by Kerstin Riemer from Pixabay

Today there are many celebrations!

It is Forgiveness Sunday and tomorrow is the first day of Great Lent (Orthodox Style).

Pascha (Easter) comes late this year. (May 5th)

Today is also St. Owen’s Day (March 17/4)!

On the new style calendar, today is also St. Patrick of Ireland. (The equivalent Julian calendar date for March 17th is 13 days later – on March 30th)

Here are some fascinating historical documents about St. Patrick, written by the 7th century monk Muirchú from the Royal Irish Academy.

Icons of St. Patrick often show him holding a three-leafed shamrock growing on a single stem, he used this to illustrate the Holy Trinity – our One God in Three Persons.

Abbreviated Lorica Hymn of St. Patrick’s Prayer, recorded and sung below, by our Youth Choir in 2019.

As today is Forgiveness Sunday, I’ll conclude with sincerely asking your forgiveness… For any offense I may have given to any of my readers/subscribers, at any time.

God Forgives!

May our Lenten Journey ahead, be Peaceful and Fruitful!

Another (very short) recording of St. Patrick’s Prayer sung outside, by my GG’s a few years ago. The precious robin chirping at the end… was totally unrehearsed!