St. Brigid's Cross | 9.5" x 9.5" x 1" | Made in Ireland | All Handcrafted, All Natural Saint Brigid's Cross | Mounted On Unique Irish Scenic History Card

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Brigid dedicated her life to prayer and service – bring many more women to give their lives to the dedicated service and holiness of religious life. Said to ward off evil, fire and hunger; the Cross of St. Brigid is an old Irish symbol of protection. Located above a shrine to her namesake goddess Brigid, it was called the Church of the Oak. So what is the story behind St Brigid’s Cross? The pagan festival was associated with the goddess Brigid, considered among the most powerful of the Celtic goddesses.

Secure the arms of the cross with elastic bands. Trim the ends to make them all the same length. The St Brigid’s Cross is now ready to hang. Brigid’s Cross (Cros Bríde, Crosóg Bríde or Bogha Bríde in Irish) is a small cross woven from rushes or straw. It has a distinct squarish center. Imbolc became Christianised in Ireland as the feast day of St. Brigid, the foremost female Irish saint, and a version of the universal goddess Brigid, of the older popular religions. Legends portrayed the Christian saint as a formidable woman with the power to influence kings, and worshippers prayed to her to intercede on their behalf with God. Until the mid-20th century, Brigid was one the most popular names for Catholic girls, such was her status. I think the smaller ones were a little easier to handle because it was easier to keep the pieces of pipe cleaner straight. Once you get the hang of it with pipe cleaners, give the raffia a try! I used about 3 strands of raffia at a time. The directions I found said to soak the raffia in warm water before beginning, but I skipped that step and it seemed to work just fine. 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.orgWell, it is an age-old tale; I will tell it in the way that I understand. There was an old pagan Chieftain who lay delirious on his deathbed in Kildare (some people suggest that it was St Brigid’s father). The servants summoned St Brigid to help calm the chieftain down and to settle his soul. Saint Brigid (often called Brigid of Kildare or Brigid of Ireland), c. 451 – 525, was one of the most iconic early Irish Christian nuns. There is no right or wrong place to hang St Brigid’s cross. However, this woven symbol is traditionally displayed above the front door or in the kitchen. On YouTube, there are hundreds( and I mean hundreds) of tutorials on how to make your own Brigid’s cross. Berger, Pamela (1985). The Goddess Obscured: Transformation of the Grain Protectress from Goddess to Saint. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. ISBN 0-8070-6722-9.

Brigid’s crossor Brigit’s cross(Irish: Cros Bríde, Crosóg Brídeor Bogha Bríde) is a small cross usually woven from rushes. May these crosses be a sign of our sharing in the Paschal Mystery of your Son and a sign of your protection of our lives, our land and its creatures through Brigid’s intercession during the coming year and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. There's much more to Saint Brigid than the legend of her ever-expanding cloak and the iconic pagan cross. 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. When Brendan the Navigator paid her a surprise visit, according to the Irish life in the Leabhar Breac, "She came from her sheep to welcome him." Fittingly is she the tutelar spirit of farm and field. Her feast is celebrated at the opening of the agricultural year, the beginning of spring., the season of sowingwhen hope is renewed.

Unlike traditional crosses, this one has a square centerpiece with four radials that are woven together in a crisscross pattern, with each end tied with a string. Read the fascinating story of her life and find out about the origins of the Brigid’s Cross and St Brigid’s Well in County Kildare, where she founded her most famous monastery. One of the customs associated with Brigid of Kildare's feast day was to hang Brigid's crosses in the rafters or over entryways of buildings, thus invoking the saint's blessing and protection for the remainder of the year. [18] Families would gather rushes on 31 January, the eve of Brigid's feast day. After an evening feast, the head of household would supervise the rest of the family as they wove crosses from the collected material. [19] These crosses were left out overnight to receive Brigid's blessing, and on 1 February, crosses would be mounted in the main dwelling place, outhouses, and stables. [20] While the direction in which the crosses were hung remains unknown, that the centre shape is frequently described as a lozenge rather than a square suggests that Brigid's cross is properly displayed in a saltire style rather than that of the Latin cross. [21] Crosses were either taken down annually and replaced, or they accumulated between feasts. [22] If they were discarded, they were burned or buried, with the latter preferred due to Brigid's associations with agriculture. [23] From RTÉ Radio 1's History Show, Colette Kinsella talks to Gary Branigan about hidden holy wells around the capital city You might just be wondering, “Why on earth do Irish people fashion a St. Brigid’s Cross of straw or rushes and place it inside the house over the door.?” Great question.