Talk Like A Pirate Day

For the Navy

O Eternal Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea: Vouchsafe to take into thy almighty and most gracious protection our country’s Navy, and all who serve therein. Preserve them from the dangers of the sea, and from the violence of the enemy; that they may be a safeguard unto the United States of America, and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our land may in peace and quietness serve thee our God, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This collect was originally used at St Stephen’s observance of the Eve of Talk Like a Pirate Day (“Piratespeakmas Eve”), on September 18th, 2011, at which time we honored the work of the Navy, the Marines, the Coast Guard, and the Merchant Marine. Adapted from “Prayers to be used at Sea” in the 1789 Book of Common Prayer (the original is in the first person plural); this prayer is in turn adapted from The Naval Prayer of the Royal Navy. An abbreviated form of this prayer is found in A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors (1941), and it is found in this form in the 1928 Armed Forces Prayer Book.