Praying in Gaelic

The Trisagion Prayer

The Trisagion prayer, known as the Tersanctum in Latin, is a standard liturgical prayer found in Eastern Christianity. Translated as “thrice holy,” the prayer is written as “Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός, Ἅγιος ἰσχυρός, Ἅγιος ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς” (Hágios ho Theós, Hágios iskhūrós, Hágios āthánatos, eléēson hēmâs) and translated into English as “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.” While it is not as prominent in Western Christianity, it is present in the Gallican Rite’s Divine Liturgy of St. Germanus and the Bobbio Missal though the latter’s connection to the Gallican tradition is debatable. It is also present in the Latin Church’s Good Friday Mass and in the Liturgy of the Hours for some Catholic devotional texts.

The Trisagion Prayer offers a rich Trinitarian expression of faith in concise terms. According to St. John of Damascus, “For we hold the words “Holy God” to refer to the Father, without limiting the title of divinity to Him alone, but acknowledging also as God the Son and the Holy Spirit: and the words  “Holy and Mighty” we ascribe to the Son, without stripping the Father and the Holy Spirit of might: and the words “Holy and Immortal” we attribute to the Holy Spirit, without depriving the Father and the Son of immortality. For, indeed, we apply all the divine names simply and unconditionally to each of the subsistences in imitation of the divine Apostle’s words.” This prayer is provided in Modern Irish and Scottish Gaelic to be added into one’s prayer routine. While this does exclude Manx, due to the current inability to find a traceable translation, the translations provided will allow one to pray in connection with one’s ancestors as part of the communion of saints.

Modern Irish

Dia Naofa

Ard-Mhuire Naofa

Síoraí Naofa

Déan trócaire orainn.

Scottish Gaelic

A Dhia Naomh

Àrd-Chumhachdach Naomh

Sìor-Mhaireannach Naomh

Dèan tròcair oirnn.