The Confession of Saint Patrick: The Classic Text in New Translation

Edited and translated by John Skinner, this version of THE CONFESSION OF ST. PATRICK includes not only St. Patrick's confession, but his letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus and the Faeth Fiada or "Deer's Cry" hymn that has become associated with St. Patrick. Contrary to what many people believe, THE CONFESSION OF ST. PATRICK is not an autobiography. There are some autobiographical elements contained within, but it's more of a long letter written towards the end of his life in defense of a personal attack made against him by those in a position of power and authority. The Confession is seeped in theology and scripture and the editor has been very helpful in noting the particular passage from the Bible that Patrick uses. Even in modern times, Patrick's intelligence and education have come under attack. Reading his Confession it becomes quite clear that no matter what else you might say about St. Patrick's intelligence or authority, he was definitely a person rooted in the Bible. "A Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus" is a written attack against the British soldier Coroticus who raided some villages in Ireland, killing many people and taking others as slaves. The people Coroticus attacked, killed, and kidnapped were members of Patrick's flock. The letter illustrates how deeply Patrick cared for the people he was shepherding and how personal he took the raid. It's a very vivid and emotional piece of writing. "Deer's Cry" is not a hymn that St. Patrick wrote, but it has become closely associated with him. It's only a few pages long and gives another glimpse into the character of Patrick. The prologue by John O'Donohue and the introductory essays by editor and translator John Skinner provide valuable information in understanding the texts and the man who wrote them. Recommended for anyone who has a serious interest in St. Patrick, though those looking for a true autobiography would be better off reading a biography about the man first and then coming to THE CONFESSION OF ST. PATRICK.

St. Patrick's Confession will prove a good read for Christians and non-believers alike. Any good man's regrets, or his handle on his faith, should give anyone of conscience, pause for personal reflection. No man, save "the one", leaves this life "innocent of sin", and St. Patrick's Confession should endear him to everyone.

The book arrived in a timely manner and was in perfect condition. As for the content, what can I say? St. Patrick is an inspiring man and these writings enable one to see real person. But at the same time, the writings also show the reason he became a saint. How many people do you know found God after being sold into slavery by Irish pirates?

This is a very short book (81 pages long, 111 if you include the prefaces and the frontispiece, big print, easily fitting in your jacket pocket) and includes Patrick's Lorica -- the hymn known as the Deer's Cry or Faeth Fiada as well as The Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus (basically a public pillory of Coroticus) and St. Patrick's Confession.If you are interested in buying The Confession because you want a straight-forward account of St. Patrick's life, you should be warned that it will not serve that purpose. If that is what you're looking for, I recommend you buy a biography instead. Given that the literary conventions for autobiographies had yet to be established, this work is much like St. Augustine's Confessions but more laconic and oblique. Apparently, it was written in defense of his character, having been recently defamed by his ecclesiastical competitors in England. As such, I think it would be best approached as an example of St. Patrick's theology. The editor has been very helpful in this regard by noting in the text every instance St. Patrick is quoting from the Bible. I'd estimate, on that basis, that quotes from, allusions to, the Bible account for around 40% of the text. Thus, if you want to understand the work, you probably want to read it with a Bible near so you can follow the thread of St. Patrick's argument/allusion. However, as you might imagine, this adds substantially to the amount of time required to digest the book.I found A Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus much more accessible, which makes sense given its intended audience - the faithful of Ireland. It comprises about a fifth of the book and was very interesting to me, at least, as an example of the power of ideas, how they can be used to bind together a community which can then be wielded as a tool, and why, in the competition between the old or pagan meme with the Christian one, the Christian meme more or less prevailed."Deer's Cry" is only a few pages long, and not more than nice to have. It clearly illustrates, however, the difficulties John Skinner (the translator) notes of translating these works, namely the loss of the chiastic structure and overall prosody. This is a problem of translation in general, but I would wager that these works are particularly difficult in that regard. I trust the translation is good, but I thought prospective buyers who, like me, are unfamiliar with St. Patrick and his times should be made aware of these difficulties.With the above in mind, I would recommend this book as an interesting primary source for the thinking, life and times of St. Patrick which, in places, are both beautiful and disturbing.

This charming little book is a great guide for anyone who wants to know the man who is St. Patrick. In this work, O'Donohue doesn't discuss the legends that surround Patrick but translates Patrick's own writings and adds an insightful commentary. The author offers a new examination of Patrick as he suggests that Patrick's hard-to-decipher language is not the result of Patrick's lack of learning, as Patrick and many of his commentators claim, but the result of Patrick's own brilliant mind trying to bring the message of the Gospel to the Celts in their own language. This book will take you directly to the heart of a simple saint who's witness to Christ changed the fate of Ireland and, consequently, the fate of the world.