...family, friends, home and other tidbits of a blessed life

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Éirinn go brách - Ireland Forever! Happy St. Patrick's Day tablescape

Ireland: land of verdant greens, Guinness, Irish lace and shamrocks. Why do we celebrate St. Patrick's Day?  I asked several people. I felt like Jay Leno on his Jaywalks! These are some of the answers:
 He drove the snakes out of Ireland.
Patron Saint of green beer.
During the potato famine Patrick decided everyone need to celebrate.
Somebody who witnessed a miracle.
He drank a lot and still lived so now we celebrate that.
Dunno!

St. Patrick's day is celebrated on the day St. Patrick died, 17th of March 493. He is credited with bringing the Irish into Christianity.

When he was 16, Irish marauders captured Patrick and took him to Ireland, where he was sold into slavery. 

Who could have known that the 6 years of slavery were to prepare him for his future apostalate. 
He learned the native Celtic tongue.

His master was a Druid and Patrick learned all the details about druidism, which later helped him to free the Irish from this bondage.

He fled after 6 years of slavery and headed back to Britain.

From that point on he devoted himself to the service of God.

 After several years he was ordained into the priesthood.

According to legend, he was drawn back to Ireland by the pleas of the children:
"O holy youth, come back to Erin and walk once more amongst us." 

After 18 years in the ministry he was able to begin his plans for his return to Ireland.

He had been entrusted with the mission to gather the Irish into the folds of Christianity.

He returned to Ireland in the summer months of 433.

He also wanted to pay his old master off and therefore be a freed man.

In God's plan, he met those who could help him the most in his mission.

And although the Druids were adverse to his mission,

soon God's plan was to come to fruition and

Patrick won over the people.

And Ireland came to be a Christian nation.

One of the "arguments" he used to defend his ways is this:
But St. Patrick, filled with the Holy Ghost, made answer:
"God, whom we announce to you, is the Ruler of all things."
"The God of heaven and earth, of the sea and the rivers."
"The God of the sun, and the moon, and all the stars."

"The God of the high mountains and of the low-lying valleys."
"The God who is above heaven, and in heaven, and under heaven."
"His dwelling is in heaven and earth, and the sea, and all therein."

"He gives breath to all."
"He gives life to all."
"He is over all."

"He upholds all."
"He gives light to the sun."
"He imparts splendour to the moon."

"He has made wells in the dry land, and islands in the ocean."
"He has appointed the stars to serve the greater lights."
"His Son is co-eternal and co-equal with Himself."

"The Son is not younger than the Father."
"And the Father is not older than the Son."
"And the Holy Ghost proceeds from them."

"The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are undivided."
"But I desire by Faith to unite you to the Heavenly King, as you are daughters of an earthly king."

St. Patrick's Day is a holy day, a day of obligation (in Ireland): on Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. 
Moreover they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.

So let's all take the day off!!!

The beautiful prayer of St. Patrick, popularly known as "St. Patrick's Breast-Plate", is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over Paganism. The following is a literal translation from the old Irish text:
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

Cast:

Green linen tablecloth - Williams Sonoma
Lace tablecloth - estate sale
Napkins - estate sale
Napkin rings - Dillards
Dinner plate - Wedgwood Windsor
Salad plate - Bordallo Pinheiro
Bread and Butter plate - Granada, Fine China of Japan
Silver - WMF
Crystal knife rests - husband's grandmother
Green water goblets - Handblown in France purchased in Santa Fe, NM
Crystal wine glasses - estate sale; Libbey Rock Sharpe
Silver candlesticks - gift
Crystal candlesticks - Home Goods
Revere bowl - gift
Butter dish and sterling salt and peppers - estate sales
Crystal decanter - Tuesday Morning
Shamrock plant - grocery store

Thank y'all for dropping in. I'd love to read your thoughts, so leave a comment if you'd like.
I'll be linking up to Tablescape Thursda and Holiday Haven's St. Patrick's party and Cuisine Kathleen's St. Paddy's Day bloghop!  Be sure to drop in there for lots more inspiration!!



40 comments:

Miss Char said...

Oh Marlis, your table is everything mine isn't this week. What a beautiful elegant setting. Every element has been carefully placed and any Irish or not I'm sure everyone would love to have a seat at your table. Thanks so much for sharing.

Unknown said...

Marlis ....what a wonderful post. I love both the text and the photos of your gorgeous table. Simply wonderful :)

Blessings!
Gail

GardenOfDaisies said...

Gorgeous table! I love the green cabbage plates and all the lovely lace! Happy St Patrick's day to you!

FABBY'S LIVING said...

Marlis, What a beautiful and elegant table! I love your tbcloth and the cabbage plates. The whole tablescape is stunning! Thank you for the text, I enjoyed it very much and I've learn something more about the Irish and thank you for the prayers.
Come over and visit my S.Am. St Patty's table, I'd love to have you.
May St. Patrick bless your home.
FABBY

Unknown said...

A festive tablescape! Love the wonderful tablecloth!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
hugs
Charo

Babs said...

Marlis, what an absolutely gorgeous table. I just kept looking at your photos again and again. I do love, love, the pale green water goblets from France and your table cloth is breath taking.I should have guessed it's an estate piece. Best wishes for a great St. Patrick's Day.

Debby S. said...

WOW! I'm always blown away. Each week you top yourself. This post was so interesting and informative. The photos were AMAZING! Your posts leave me searching for words to do them justice. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!!!!

Lynn said...

Just a perfect setting Marlis! Lovin' that amazing tablecloth-Happy St. Patrick's Day:@)

Karen said...

What a beautiful blog! And to think... you live in Lubbock... where my daughter-in-law graduated from med school. I loved going there to visit. GREAT shopping.
Your table setting is gorgeous. Love the way you have created such a delightful tablescape.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Karen
Ladybug Creek
P.S. I'm a Texan too. :-)

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

Hi Marlis, Thank you for the information and the reminder of why we are celebrating today! St. Patrick was indeed an amazing man. Your table is so pretty too. Happy St. Patty's Day to you! Linda

Kuby said...

Oh Marlis, this is a wonderful post. ST Patricks Day is one of our favorite holidays. Just another example of God turning what was meant for evil (His kidnapping and enslavement) for good. Not to different from Joseph. Your table looks gorgeous as usual. The poetry a delight. I can just hear a great ballad playing in the background. Pass the soda bread please....

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous table, my Dear! I love it and although it's for St. Paddy's Day it's very romantic! :)
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Alycia Nichols said...

Beautiful, Marlis. The story, the prayer, AND the table! Sometimes people forget that St. Patrick's Day has a far deeper meaning than the drinking and revelry. All that is fun, but we need to remember the true meaning of the celebration, too. You did a beautiful job of imparting the meaning.

Jeannie said...

Beautiful table, Marlis! The green is so restful and the white so pristine! I'm so glad you published St. Patrick's Breastplate--I've kept that prayer in my office for years and years--I love it! Slainte!

Entertaining Women said...

I think that you should have note cards made out of the photo of the lace reflected in the silver bowl. It just kind of screams (a gentle scream) Marlis. Loved the information on St. Patrick. Knew the general stuff, but you connected a lot of dots. And of course, I love your table...I think that you and I were made from the same mold. I have the Bordallo chargers. The crystal and silver mix is so perfect for a table about Ireland...and it had to be ivy for the centerpiece. Thank you for dropping by and for sharing your wonderful design. Cherry Kay

xinex said...

This is so lovely, Marlis. The lace tablecloth is very beautiful. And I love your post, so much information to learn. Thank you....Christine

Anonymous said...

Your table is gorgeous Marlis!

Happy Saint Pat's!

Dreamgoddess said...

How beautifully elegant! I loved reading about St. Patrick.

Mary said...

Beautiful table~ I loved all the history & significance of St. Patrick's day you shared. Your lighting & shadows are wonderful & I LOVE your tablecloth reflection in your silver bowl!

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Marlis, your table is beautiful! That lace cloth is absolutely breath-taking, and I love the photo of the cloth reflected in the silver bowl. Not only were your photos beautiful, the St. Patrick's story and prayer were beautiful! You have so many gorgeous treasures to play with when you set a table, and I love coming to see your table creations. laurie

Lori Lucas said...

What a wonderful history lesson as well as an exquisite table! Love it all. Lori L

swedecollection said...

Marlis, Your tablecloth is 2die4, Wow. I see you have Pinheiro plates also. I'm glad you posted about who St. Patrick was as I don't think many people do. In grade school we were not taught much about him. Just that he ran the "snakes" out of Ireland. Beautiful table. Everything is very pretty. Happy St. Pat's!

Red Couch Recipes said...

Marlis, I just love the whole feel and look of this table. The glassware and silver are so pretty -- love the candlesticks and the salt and pepper shakers. I of course love the salad plates. Great info on St. Patrick. Joni

Sarah said...

Marlis, this is a beautiful post full of information and a lovely table. Your table is elegant with the lace, silver, and crystal. Love the cabbage leaf plates. I used some for my St. Paddy's table too. Cabbage leaf plates are perfect for springtime!
Love the shadows across this table. Awesome shots!
Happy St. Patrick's Day! ~ Sarah

Diane said...

I have to confess that I, too, was ignorant as to why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Like many other holidays, the true meaning gets lost in crass commercialization. Thank you so much for bringing the focus back to where it should be!

And your table is breathtaking!

Donnie said...

That was a beautiful post about St Patrick and I love how you tied it in with your tablescape.

Dianne said...

Marlis,
So elegant and inviting. Beautiful. I love the bread and butter plates and I started collecting the Bordallo Pinheiro green plates myself, so you know I love those too. Dianne

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

What a beautiful table and I learned a lot about St. Patrick. Lovely and informative too!

Tess said...

This is a really elegant table! And thank you for the St. Patrick's day history!

Kathleen said...

I just love that cloth! The table is fabulous. Being Irish, I think I could answer the questions, LOL!
Thanks so much for linking up this beautiful post!

Pam - @diy Design Fanatic said...

What a gorgeous tablecloth! I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school all the way through a 4 year Catholic University. Heard about St. Patrick often, but your history of him was the most in-depth that I've heard and I enjoyed reading it!

Aledia said...

Thank you so much for your recent visit to my blog and for leaving such a sweet comment!

I am one of your followers and I enjoy your tablescapes! This one is just beautiful.....I love the light streaming in through your window and curtains, so refreshing!

Have a wonderful weekend and God Bless!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Oh, Marlis, not only is your table gorgeous, but I loved hearing more about St. Patrick. His life was such a witness of forgiveness. Think if he had been angered over his slavery and decided to come back as a soldier instead of a missionary. Like I said, I love this story and Patrick has always been one of my favorite saints.

Love to you, my friend, and Happy St. Patrick's Day! Be blessed...

XO,

Sheila :-)

Chubby Chieque said...

The prayer with all wonderful treasures you have on your table, can't beat anyone, at least the one whom I visited. Love the salt & pepper shakers and the tablecloth is a fave too.

Happy TS...

Greetings & blessings from Stockholm,
/chie

A Perfect Setting said...

I love learning something when I visit!! Your table is stunning, I am always on the lookout for those Pinheiro plates, but they are hard to find in this neck of the woods. Your tablecloth is so lovely, you have a great eye for putting it all together! Thanks for visiting me--I always appreciate your kind comments!!

Julio Muao said...

Happy Saint Patrick's Day Marlis!

I not only enjoyed your beautiful table setting, but your inspiring and informative post. Thank you so much for sharing so much with us for this special green occasion.

afternoon tea said...

What a beautiful table and post. Thank you for sharing your talent with us.

Jessa said...

What a beautiful post, the history is very nicely done both in content and presentation. The table is lovely and illustrates such a wonderful tribute. Everything is so lovely. Thanks so much for adding this exceptional post to the St. Patrick's Day party!

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hello Marlis....

My friend, you St.Patrick's Day table is one of the prettiest that I've seen...it's simply gorgeous!!! From the fabulous table linens...right down to the pretty place settings...sooo very beautiful and just perfect! I love all of your beautiful candlesticks that you used for the table centerpiece! And...all that beautiful crystal just leaves me swooning! Thank you so much for sharing your FABULOUS table with us...and I really enjoyed reading about St.Patrick and the history! That was so interesting and I learned so much! Thank you, dear lady!

I also wanted to thank you for coming by my place! I soo enjoyed your visit and sweet note, my friend!

Happy spring wishes...
Chari @Happy To Design

Anonymous said...

Marlis, I appreciate so much the time you put into doing this informative and lovely post. And, oh, the table is as nice! Xox

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