Christian Prayers

St Teresa of Ávila (1515-82) was a Spanish noblewoman who felt called to the monastic life of a Carmelite nun. She was a theologian of contemplative prayer and meditation. Since 1970, Teresa has been proclaimed the first female Doctor of the Church. She is also one of the patron saints of Spain.

St. Patrick’s Breastplate is a popular prayer attributed to one of Ireland’s most beloved patron saints. According to tradition, St. Patrick wrote it in 433 A.D. for divine protection before successfully converting the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects from paganism to Christianity. (The term breastplate refers to a piece of armor worn in battle.)

St Augustine of Hippo is a hugely influential figure, both in Christian and secular Western thought. During his life, he was a bishop, a celebrated author and a Christian philosopher, and today he remains one of the most relatable saints.

The anonymous text that is usually called the Prayer of Saint Francis (or Peace Prayer, or Simple Prayer for Peace, or Make us an Instrument of Your Peace) is a widely known Christian prayer for peace. It is often set to music.

The Nicene Creed, also known as the Creed of Constantinople, is a statement of Christian belief adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 and revised by the First Council of Constantinople, summarizing orthodox Christian faith and used in the liturgy of most Christian denominations.

The Canticle of the Sun, also known as Canticle of the Creatures and Laudes Creaturarum (Praise of the Creatures), is a religious song composed by Saint Francis of Assisi. It was written in an Umbrian dialect of Italian but has since been translated into many languages.

The Serenity Prayer is an invocation by a person for wisdom to understand the difference between circumstances (“things”) that can and cannot be changed, asking courage to take action in the case of the former, and serenity to accept in the case of the latter.