Aidan came to Lindisfarne from Iona in the year 635 at the invitation of King Oswald. He was a man of deep prayer who meditated on the words of Scripture, equipping himself in quiet for an active and highly effective apostolate. He remained at Lindisfarne for 16 years. In 651, Aidan was taken ill at Bamburgh and died. Cuthbert, who was a that moment looking after his flock of sheep on the Lammermuir hills, saw a vision of angels taking Aidan’s soul to heaven.
+ (silently)
O Christ, Son of the living God, may Your holy angels guard our sleep, may they watch over us as we rest and hover around our beds.
Let them reveal to us in our dreams visions of Your glorious truth, O High Prince of the universe, O High Priest of the mysteries.
May no dreams disturb our rest and no nightmares darken our dreams. May no fears or worries delay our willing, prompt repose.
May the virtue of our daily work hallow our nightly prayers. May our sleep be deep and soft so our work be fresh and hard.
I will lie down and sleep in peace for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
My dear ones, O God, bless Thou and keep, in every place where they are.
Into Your hands I commit my spirit; I give it to You with all the love of my heart.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with You.
I make the cross of Christ upon my breast, + over the tablet of my hard heart, and I beseech the Living God of the universe – may the Light of Lights come to my dark heart from Thy place; may the Spirit’s wisdom come to my heart’s tablet from my Saviour.
Christ without sin, Christ of wounds, I am placing my soul and my body under Thy guarding this night, Christ of the poor, Christ of tears. Thy cross be my shielding this night, O Thou Son of tears, of the wounds, of the piercing.
I am going now into the sleep: O be it in Thy dear arm’s keep, O God of grace, that I shall awake.
My Christ! my Christ! my shield, my encircler, each day, each night, each light, each dark.
My Christ! my Christ! my shield, my encircler, each day, each night, each light, each dark. Be near me, uphold me, my treasure, my triumph.
Circle me, Lord, keep protection near and danger afar.
Circle me, Lord, keep light near and darkness afar.
Circle me, Lord, keep peace within; keep evil out.
The peace of all peace be mine this night + in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
