The Jesus Prayer in the Celtic Church: An Ancient Link to the East
Introduction: Reclaiming an Ancient Prayer
The Jesus Prayer, often associated with the monastic tradition of Mount Athos and Eastern Orthodoxy, has long been cherished within the Celtic Church as well. Contrary to the assumption that such prayer forms were uniquely Byzantine, the Celtic liturgical and monastic legacy is deeply intertwined with Eastern Christianity—particularly Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Asia Minor. This article traces the historical roots, original forms, and current usage of the Jesus Prayer within the Celtic Church, emphasizing its biblical and apostolic character.
The Jesus Prayer: Original Forms in the East
The earliest known written forms of the Jesus Prayer are preserved in the Greek monastic tradition:
✨ Standard Early Greek Form
Κὐριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, Υῐἄ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλέησόν με. Kyrie Iēsous Christe, Huie tou Theou, eleēson me. Translation: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
This version is found throughout the Eastern Church and still used on Mount Athos today.
St Diadochos of Photiki and the Early Tradition of Ceaseless Prayer
Long before the Hesychasts of Mount Athos, the 5th-century Bishop St Diadochos of Photiki articulated the principle of unceasing remembrance of Jesus’ Name. In his On Spiritual Knowledge (Philokalia I), he wrote that when the mind is “fixed upon the continual invocation of the Lord Jesus,” divine grace dwells in the heart. His teaching reflects a much older rhythm of ceaseless prayer, already witnessed in the Acts of the Apostles, where deacons such as St Stephen served the people so that the Apostles might “continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). The same spirit of continual invocation later shaped the Desert Fathers’ counted prayers and the Celtic monastic rules of daily repetition and prostration.
For the broader biblical and ritual background—from the Torah’s tzitzit to the Christian prayer rope—see The Tassel of the Covenant: From Torah to the Prayer Rope, and watch for our forthcoming article The Origin and Continuity of Prayer Beads and Knots Across Christendom.
St Gregory of Sinai and the Later Codification
By the 14th century, St Gregory of Sinai (c. 1265–1346) systematized this inherited practice within the Hesychast renewal. In the Philokalia (Vol. IV) he prescribed the disciplined posture and breathing that would define Athonite usage:
“From early morning sit on a low stool… bow yourself down, and cry persistently, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ Then repeat, ‘Son of God, have mercy on me.’”
Greek text:
Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ἐλέησόν με.
Υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλέησόν με.
His disciple, Patriarch Kallistos I, shortly after 1351, recorded the fuller form—“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”—which spread throughout Greek and Slavic monasticism. Thus, Gregory did not invent the Jesus Prayer but codified an ancient inheritance that had already circulated for centuries in both Eastern and Western monastic worlds.
The Jesus Prayer in the Celtic and Gallican Tradition
Because the Celtic Church drew deeply from Egyptian and Gallican monastic streams—through Cassian, Honoratus, Martin of Tours, and Patrick—it naturally shared this same spirituality of ceaseless invocation. The Gallican liturgies retained Eastern features such as:
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The invocation of the Holy Spirit (epiclesis)
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Frequent Kyrie eleison refrains
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Emphasis on ascetic intercession
Accordingly, the Celtic Orthodox Church continues the ancient form with a communal nuance:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us and save us.”
This plural rendering preserves the early intercessory ethos of the Egyptian and Gallican traditions, expressing both personal repentance and corporate salvation.
Regensburg and the Eastern Missionary Routes
Celtic monks from Iona, Bangor, and Lérins spread throughout continental Europe. By the 8th century, Regensburg (modern Bavaria) became a monastic hub with Celtic-Byzantine leanings. From there:
- Monks followed river routes (Danube, Dnieper) into Kiev, Novgorod, and Ruthenia.
- These Norse-Gaelic missionaries helped establish churches and monasteries along Slavic trade networks.
- The Rurikid dynasty itself shows liturgical and bloodline ties to Norse-Gael converts to Orthodox-Celtic Christianity.
The Jesus Prayer likely traveled alongside these missionary lines. Traces of early Celtic Orthodox influence exist in Novgorod, the Baltic, and Kievan Rus’.
More on this in our article: “The Celtic Church in Kiev: Culdees and the Ruthenian Mission” at CelticOrthodoxy.com
Biblical Defense of Liturgical Prayer & Repetition
For those from Protestant backgrounds, it’s vital to show that the Jesus Prayer is not vain repetition (Matt. 6:7), but biblical persistence:
- Luke 18:1–8 — The Persistent Widow
- Psalm 136 — “His mercy endureth forever” (26x)
- Rev. 4:8 — The angels cry “Holy, Holy, Holy” unceasingly
- 1 Thess. 5:17 — “Pray without ceasing”
As we explain in our linked article, repetition with purpose is a command and gift, not a hindrance.
See: “Why Repetition in Prayer Is Biblical”
The Celtic Orthodox Jesus Prayer Today
We pray:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us and save us.”
- Prayed daily with a prayer rope (komboskini)
- Accompanied by prostrations, bows, or stillness
- Sometimes shortened to: “Jesus, mercy.” or “Lord Jesus, save us.”
The us form emphasizes our collective redemption, rooted in Gallican and Eastern intercession.
Links to Related Articles:
Final Words
The Jesus Prayer is not just an Athonite treasure; it is a universal inheritance of the early Church, preserved in the East and in the Celtic monastic heartlands. Its use today by the Celtic Orthodox Church renews that unbroken line of faith, shaped by Egypt, Ephesus, and Iona alike. Let the prayer live again:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us and save us.”
Amen.