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There are different variations of Brigid’s crosses. A three-stranded cross is made exactely like one with 4 sides, but you end each row after adding the third straw. There are also variations where you weave the straw in the middle and secure the ends straight.
If you have ever been to Ireland, you will spot them in all sorts of places. Gravestones, people’s homes, doorways and even in Catholic churches. St Brigid was born in AD 450 in Faughart, near Dundalk in County Louth. Her father, Dubhthach, was a pagan chieftain of Leinster and her mother, Broicsech, was a Christian. Brigid may also be related to other Indo-European dawn goddesses. Many of the goddesses’ names are derived from the same Proto-Indo-European root word, though the goddesses themselves exist in regions as diverse as Scandinavia and India. Pop Culture There's much more to Saint Brigid than the legend of her ever-expanding cloak and the iconic pagan cross.
St Brigid’s Cross
Saint Brigid’s Cross is an iconic symbol associated with Saint Brigid’s Day that has endured over the centuries. Traditionally a Brigid’s Cross is made from reeds or straw. If you choose to use these materials they will have to be soaked in hot water for 30 minutes to a few hours or until flexible. With the introduction of Christianity to Ireland, many pagan deities were assimilated into the new faith. Brigid, being highly revered by the Celtic people, underwent a transformation from the goddess Brigid to St. Brigid, or St. Brigid of Kildare (450-520), one of Ireland’s patron saints. Given the diversity of her attributes, Brigid was believed by many to be a triple goddess. Unlike most triple goddesses in Ireland, however, all of her aspects were named Brigid. Her status as a triple goddess allowed her to have multiple husbands, parents, and children without causing contradictions in the Celtic mythos. Imbolc
Another option is to offer it to the Goddess. You can hang it on a tree (particularly hawthorn) or leave it in nature somewhere, or burn it in a ritual fire (a bonfire or cauldron). Brigid’s Crosses were intricately woven from rushes and sometimes straw, consisting of a central square surrounded by four arms at right angles. The cross would adorn the doors and rafters of Irish homes, usually in the kitchen, warding off fire and evil. Brigid was a life-giving goddess St.Brigid, also known as “Mary of the Gael”, is an abbess and patroness of Ireland. She is furthermore the founder of the first Irish monastery in County Kildare, Ireland. Born in Dundalk in 450 AD, St Brigid is accredited with first creating the unique cross which bears her name. This cross is normally hand created from rushes however occasionally straw is also used. In nearly all parts of Ireland on the eve of her feast-day, February 1, crosses are woven out of rushes, or straw, in commemoration of that story. They are hung up inside the front door, or in kitchen, dairy or cow-byre, toinvoke her blessing on the family, home and farm for the coming year. The crosses of the previous year are then burned. People celebrated by burning lamps and lighting bonfires in a tribute to her. A portrait of Brigid by artist Courtney Davis. Photo courtesy of Herstory Facebook.
How to Make a Brigid's Cross
Light some candles and keep an eye out for any confirmation such as a warm feeling, a voice or a vision during meditation or in a dream. Berger, Pamela (1985). The Goddess Obscured: Transformation of the Grain Protectress from Goddess to Saint. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. ISBN 0-8070-6722-9. Many of the attributes of the goddess were transferred to the saint. The Celtic festival of Imbolc was renamed St Brigid’s Day and the making and displaying of Brigid’s Crosses merged with the ‘new’ Christian celebration on February 1st. The cross is left on the altar throughout the night of Imbolc for the Goddess to bless. The next morning it is hung at the front door of the house to protect the home from fire and evil. Other appropriate places are above the hearth, or in the kitchen, places ruled by the fire of the Goddesses of the Home.
Saint Brigid and her cross are full of intrigue and mystery. So, it comes as no surprise that many people still have a lot of questions about this holy woman and her poignant Christian symbol. Mullally, Una (1 February 2020). "The evolution–and disappearance–of Brigid's cross in RTÉ's logo". The Irish Times. In addition, the day of celebration to mark Saint Brigid falls on the same feast day for the Celtic goddess Brigid: the traditional Gaelic festival of Imbolc. Brigid’s holiday is the eve of February 1st. This is a very special day known as Imbolc or Candlemas in which Brigid’s presence can be felt. Yes, St Brigid is still celebrated all over Ireland, although not with quite as much enthusiasm as before.Saint Brigid (often called Brigid of Kildare or Brigid of Ireland), c. 451 – 525, was one of the most iconic early Irish Christian nuns. Long before Christianity, Brigid was a pan-European Celtic goddess. Rising from Danú and the land of the Danube in southern Germany, her influence spread all across Europe from Turkey to Spain. At age 40, Brigid founded a monastery in County Kildare called the Church of the Oak. This community began as a holy nunnery but over time it became the first double abbey for both monks and nuns.
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