The Christian Saint Brigid is the patron saint of Ireland. However, she is a pretty dynamic saint and Ireland is not the only thing she symbolises to the Irish people. She is also the Patron Saint of dairymaids, cattle, midwives, Irish nuns, and newborn babies. As well as jewellery and tattoos, Saint Brigid’s cross can be found on homewares like blankets, wall art, furniture and clothing. FAQs This belief reflects the spiritual power of the cross, as it is similarly stated in this ancient blessing of a cross found in the Roman Ritual. Lord Jesus Christ, bless + this cross by which you snatched the world from Satan’s grasp, and on which you overcame by your suffering the tempter to sin, who rejoiced in the first man’s fall in eating of the forbidden tree. May this cross be hallowed in the name of the Father, + and of the Son, + and of the Holy + Spirit; and may all who kneel and pray before this cross in honor of our Lord find health in body and soul; through Christ our Lord. St Bridget’s Day is celebrated on the 1st February each year and the crosses are made at that time. Rushes were traditionally used to make the St Bridget’s Cross. These were collected from wetlands and cut into pieces, 8-12 inches long. Rushes can be hard to get for city dwellers so ordinary drinking straws are a good substitute. Use rubber bands to tie up the ends.

History and Meaning of St Brigid’s Cross - Ireland Wide

Although these stories are likely to be the product of imagination, they all centre around the healing abilities she was thought to possess and was another reason why she was given sainthood after her death. She was responsible for founding many monasteries. The most respected and revered of all was in County Kildare – leading to her name, Brigid of Kildare. Real or mythical? – two people with the same name Credit: commons.wikimedia.org

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The meaning behind St. Brigid’s Cross is multilayered. While it’s primarily an Irish Christian symbol, it might have its roots in the pagan sunwheel, which was meant to bless the earth with fertility and life. The centerpiece also recalls the movement of the stars as the year passes, evoking how the Big Dipper rotates slowly around the North Star. However, the main purpose of St. Brigid’s Cross is to protect a house and drive evil, fire, and hunger away. It can also represent peace and goodwill, and it was even placed in cowsheds to safeguard animals and help cows to produce more milk. The famous cross synonymous with the saint is usually made from rushes – a grass-like plant found in Ireland. She is also said to have cured a man of leprosy by blessing the holy water he was being washed in. Another story is of how she milked a cow, that had already been milked that day, and it then produced more than ten times the amount of milk a cow should be able to provide. She did this to nourish the local starving people.

Who Was St. Brigid and What Is her Cross? - Shamrock Gift

Fed up with her, her father had her leave, and she returned to her mother who was in charge of the dairy for the kingdom. When Brigid took over, the dairy miraculously prospered even though she kept sharing it. Because of this, her mother was happily freed. St. Brigid returned once again to Dubhthach, who sought to marry her off. Her physical beauty attracted many suitors, but she turned them down and committed to remaining chaste. In fact, she took drastic measures by asking God to take away her beauty. Once she entered a monastery and made her final vows, her beauty returned. St Brigids Cross OrnamentHere are some common questions and their answers that we see often asked by those interested in the history and symbolism of the cross. Is St. Brigid Still Celebrated In Ireland Today? As a result, the chieftain’s fever broke, and he became quiet. Due to her message of love and enlightenment, the chieftain agreed to baptism as a Christian, just before his passing. Once word of the old chieftain’s conversion and baptism became known, the news spread like wildfire, and now people make the crosses as a commemoration act of the occasion. It must be noted that there is a genuine debate over whether St. Brigid was, in fact, a real person. This is because she bears the same name and characteristics of the Celtic goddess, Brigid – an icon of pre-Chrisitan, pagan Ireland.

St. Brigid’s Cross Worksheet - Twinkl How to Make a St. Brigid’s Cross Worksheet - Twinkl

My DD1 is named for St. Brigid (and we spell it Brigid.) I keep forgetting to celebrate her feast day but thanks to your blog we will remember and make these! You put a St Brigid’s Cross over entryways to buildings. What is the meaning of a St Brigid’s Cross? Traditionally made from rushes, a bog plant with hollow, cylindrical stems, St Brigid’s cross is often made using straw or reeds if rushes cannot be found. Each arm is then tied with straw, rushes, or string to give this symbol its stoic and stable look.One story where she is said to have changed water into beer for a leper colony and miraculously provided enough beer for over 18 churches from one single barrel is why she is also thought of as the patron of beer. Where Should You Hang St Brigid’s Cross? Kilbride is one of Ireland’s most common placenames: there are 45 Kilbrides in 19 of the country’s 32 counties. Kilbride means ‘Church of Brigid’. Saint Brigid (often called Brigid of Kildare or Brigid of Ireland), c. 451 – 525, was one of the most iconic early Irish Christian nuns. One of the many stories tells that once Dubthach found Brocca was pregnant, he sold her to a druid landowner. Once Brigid was born in 451 AD, it is said that she vomited up any food given to her by the druid because he was impure. This is one of the very first times, but not the last, that St Brigid’s purity was spoken of. Fold a third piece of straw in half, then wrap it around the second piece (like you did around the first piece in step 3).