Who was Brigid?
In ancient Irish mythology, Brigid was a fire goddess. Medieval art historian Pamela Berger argues that Christian monks “took the ancient figure of the mother goddess and grafted her name and functions onto her Christian counterpart”
This is where I stand on the Goddess known as Brigid.
Centuries ago, the people of Ireland discovered a special place in what is now known as Kildare, which in Irish is Cill Dara: the Church of the Oak. In this sacred landscape there was a natural spring and many great oak trees grew around it. The folk began to gather there and found that the spring had healing properties. Here they made offerings, meditated, prayed and found comfort. Eventually it became a site sacred to the Celtic goddess Brighid.
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Legend says that one day a priestess, or Druid, was given a vision by the goddess Brighid while meditating beside the spring. Inspired by her vision, she gathered around her a group of women and together they built a small, stone temple. Within this temple they lit the sacred flame of Brighid. This flame was never permitted to go out. Each priestess took her turn to keep vigil over the flame and tend it carefully. Together the women also planted beautiful gardens of healing herbs and sacred flowers. They kept clean the waters of the spring and built around it a scared well. They ministered to the pilgrims who traveled to Kildare for generations.
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In the 6th century Christianity came to Kildare. Missionaries on a quest to convert the people of Ireland arrived at the temple and demanded that the priestesses atone for their sins. The women stood steadfast against those who would harm the sacred flame of their goddess. Bravely blocking the doorway to the temple and guarding the flame with their own bodies. Though fierce in their defense of the flame, they were overwhelmed and dragged from the temple. It is said that they died fighting to protect that which had not been extinguished for hundreds of years.
The fire was put out. The walls and roof of the temple pulled down. The gardens were destroyed and the waters of the sacred well fouled.
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In place of the old temple was built a monastery. A nun who took up the name Brighid helped to establish the monastery, bringing other nuns with her to the new building. Together they replanted the gardens. Together they cleaned the scared well. Under Brighid’s guidance, a new flame was lit in the chapel of the monastery. She and her nuns tended the flame and kept vigil over it, dedicating it to their Lord God. Brighid performed many miracles through her long life and after her death, her story became mixed up with the myths of the goddess whose name she shared. Brighid was declared a saint by the Catholic church and for generations, the nuns of St. Brighid tended her flame. Over the centuries, attempts were made by church officials to douse the flame, but none prevailed. In the 13th century a new Cathedral was built and the flame was moved there.
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In the 16th century the Reformation came to Kildare. The newly reformed Church did not approve of Catholic practices that were clearly inspired by pagan folk traditions. Men were sent to the monastery and they demanded that the nuns forsake their ways. The Brigidine Sisters stood steadfast against those who would harm the sacred flame. Bravely blocking the doorway to the cathedral and guarding the flame with their own bodies. Though fierce in their defense of the flame, they were overwhelmed and dragged from the cathedral. It is said that they died fighting to protect that which had not been extinguished for hundreds of years.
The fire was put out. The cathedral and monastery stripped of all its wealth. The gardens were destroyed and the waters of the sacred well fouled.
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Some 200 years later, in the 18th century, the monastery and the cathedral were rebuilt. The Brigidine Sisters returned to Kildare. They replanted the gardens, cleaned the well, put up new statues of St. Brigid and made the place holy once again. During the reclaiming and rebuilding of the site, the old, original pagan temple was discovered. It is now referred to as the Fire Temple. Its foundation has been restored and it can be visited, being slightly behind the new cathedral. In 1993 the Eternal Flame of Brighid was relit, both in the cathedral and in the town square of Kildare.
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The Brigidine Sisters are unique in the fact that they acknowledge both goddess and saint in Brighid and in her flame. They also allow people of any faith to visit and to take a “piece” of Brghid’s flame with them. Many people come to Kildare and light a candle from the flame. They then trap the flame within the candle when it is snuffed so that they can carry it with them. So that Brighid’s flame can never truly be put out again. Many groups also hold vigil over the Flame according to their own tradition, be they Christian or Pagan.
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Today all over the world, Pagans and Christians alike tend the flame of Brighid. Candles of every description sit upon mantle pieces, above modern stoves, on altars, in dorm rooms and apartments. The flame has spread to the four corners of the Earth. With so many keepers of the flame pledged to protect her fire, Brighid’s flame can never again be extinguished. Each Imbolg thousands of flames are lit all over the world.
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We learn many important lessons from the story of Brighid’s flame:
From this we learn that we are not alone. We can light the flame and connect with the many other keepers of the flame. Even in our darkest hours, we can light the flame and be part of a history that spans millennia. We all are part of a great myth, the act of a goddess that is still in motion. A story that has not finished, a story that may never end.
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From this we learn courage and to stand up for what we believe in. To defend that which we hold most dear. But we also must choose our battles wisely, while the sacred flame of Brighid was worth dying for, not all things are.
From this we learn to never give up hope … but also to be flexible and accepting of change. Metamorphosis is a part of life and all things grow, adapt and change with time. What remains is the inspiration we receive from the divine in all it’s forms.
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From this we learn that history will inevitably repeat itself, especially when those with power do not accept the lessons that the past can teach us. Always we must move forward, but also look back upon that which has come before.
From this we learn perseverance. We learn the power of goddess, woman and saint. The strength of the divine cannot be extinguished by mere mortal men. That which is most sacred will rise again.
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From this we learn tolerance and hope for the future. Progress towards a greater understanding of different paths can be achieved. We learn to offer the olive branch and keep an open mind.
From this we learn to always seek the sacred. To look for places that gives us comfort. When life gets crazy, we all need somewhere that offers us solace, a chance to reflect upon the divine and to silence a racing mind. We must make the time to nourish our souls and grow as spiritual beings.
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From this we learn that there will not always be an established temple and sisterhood waiting to embrace us with open arms. But within each of us is the strength and skill to seek out and surround ourselves with like minded people. And together, build something that will create warmth, light, joy and healing for all.
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From this we learn the fortitude of womanhood. The power and strength that can be found in every woman’s determined heart. With this strength, passed on from generation to generation, nothing can stop us. Not men on horses. Not a new religion. Not the threat of rape and murder. Not the darkness of a flame snuffed out or a temple destroyed. Always, we will rise from the ashes.
Source: Juniper Birch
Brigids Day or Imbolg is celebrated at the midpoint between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. It is one of the four major “fire” festivals . The other three festivals are Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain – Halloween).
For my purpose I will concentrate more so on the Brigids Day rituals as opposed to Imbolg.
On the eve of the festival (31st Jan), called Brídeóg Night or Biddys Night in some areas, the children of the district went out from door to door. They would disguise themselves in old clothes or in their own clothes turned inside out. They would mask their face with pieces of cloth or curtains, sometimes using straw or rush hats to keep the veils on.
The Brídeóg, called miss biddy in this instance, was a doll made from old rags or a butter churn dressed up. The person recounting this tale mentions that in this case a turnip was carved and painted with soot. The groups of young people were divided into two groups by age: 8-13 and 13-20. They would play music at each house to receive money or sweets (NFSC,Vol.0126:270).
A rhyme of some description was said as the door was answered. This again varied to some degree by district but was fundamentally the same. In Leckanvy, Co. Mayo the rhyme went as follows:
“Here comes poor Brigid both deaf and blind
Put your hand in your pocket and give her a coin
If you haven’t a penny, a half penny will do
If you haven’t a half penny god bless you”
(NFSC,VOL.1038:107)
One of the things to do on this day is the making of a Brigids cross. to learn more about how to make one there are plenty of videos on youtube.
The Lore of the Cross is as follows:
On St Brigid’s Eve a member of the family would gather rushes and leave them at the door. At nightfall a member of the family would go outside and call to the people in the house to let Brigid in. They all shout a welcome while on their knees and this is repeated 3 times. The family then made crosses from the rushes and the following day holy water was sprinkled on them. The crosses are thought to protect against lightning, fire and protect animals from diseases (NFSC,Vol.1048:197).
When they could be no longer preserved they should under no circumstances be thrown away. They were to be either buried (to bestow a blessing on the crops) or burned in the fire. Giving them as gifts was said to put a blessing on the maker and their welfare was increased by the gift of bestowal and friendships would be strengthened in the donor and recipient (Paterson,1955:18)
There is a poem from 1735 that refers to the cross it goes like this:
“St Brigid’s cross hung over door
Which did the house from fire secure
O Gillo thought, O powerfull charm
To keep a house from taking harm;
And tho’ the dogs and servants slept,
By Brigid’s care the house was kept.”
More to add to this later …
Unplugged Pagan 