The Jesus Prayer in the Celtic Church: An Ancient Link to the East

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. Gregory of Sinai and the Development of the Prayer

St. Gregory of Sinai (c. 1265–1346), a great Athonite hesychast and theologian, offers early textual evidence of the prayer’s use in structured monastic practice. In his writings (Philokalia, Vol. 4), he describes a two-part form:

“From early morning sit down on a low stool… bow yourself down… and cry persistently in mind and soul, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ Then… transfer… and say, ‘Son of God, have mercy on me.’ Repeat this many times…”

• Greek Original:
  • Κὐριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ἐλέησόν με.
  • Υῐἄ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλέησόν με.

In his own writings, Gregory does not include the phrase “…a sinner” (Greek: τῲν ἅμαρτωλόν). However, Patriarch Kallistos I (his disciple) included this fuller form in Gregory’s Life, written around 1351:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

This fuller version was later embraced throughout Greek and Slavic monasticism (15th–16th century).

Timeline Recap

Event	Date	Anmerkungen
Gregory of Sinai born	ca. 1265	Hesychast monk on Mount Athos and in Bulgaria
His writings	pre-1346	Uses Jesus Prayer without “a sinner”
Gregory’s death	1346	Leaves key Philokalia texts
Life by Kallistos	c. 1351	Introduces “a sinner” to the Jesus Prayer
Slavic expansion	15th–16th c.	Full-form prayer spreads widely

The Jesus Prayer in the Celtic Church: Eastern Origins, Gallican Forms

The Celtic Church has always retained strong Eastern spiritual DNA, especially through its monastic and liturgical forms:

• Gallican liturgies (used in Celtic lands) contained many Eastern elements:
  • Invocation of the Holy Spirit (epiclesis)
  • Emphasis on asceticism and intercession
  • Use of Greek phrases like Kyrie Eleison
• Das Keltisch-orthodoxe Kirche continues the Eastern form of the Jesus Prayer but with a unique rendering:

„Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us and save us.”

• This plural form emphasizes communal prayer, und salvific invocation, consistent with the early Egyptian and Gallican intercessory patterns.
• Our practice ties directly into the Desert Fathers, the Palestinian monastic centers, and possibly even pre-Benedictine Druidic-Hebrew continuity.

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” beim 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.”

Das us form emphasizes our collective redemption, rooted in Gallican and Eastern intercession.

Links to Related Articles:

• The Celtic Prayer Rope
• Why Repetition in Prayer Is Biblical
• The Celtic Church in Kiev

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.