The two fifth-century letters of St. Patrick are the earliest records we have of Christianity in Ireland. Written in Latin in his later years, they are an intimate and revealing look into the life and world of a man who was among the first to spread the Gospel to a land beyond the Roman Empire. Both Patrick's Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus and his Confession detail his many admitted failings and insecurities but also his passionate faith in God and his mission to the Irish. These letters are presented in this volume with both the Latin originals and translation along with other key texts of early Patrician literature, including Muirchu's Life of St. Patrick, Tírechán's Journey of St. Patrick, The First Synod of St. Patrick, The Hymn of St. Secundinus, and the Old Irish St. Patrick's Breastplate. It includes a detailed introduction, commentary, notes, and other useful tools, along with a complete bibliography. The Letters of St. Patrick and Early Patrician Literature brings together for the first time in a single volume the most important works of the Patrician tradition and allows students and scholars from many different fields the opportunity to explore these rich texts.

Philip Freeman is Fletcher Jones Chair and professor of humanities, Pepperdine University.