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Blog CategoriesWhy Ireland’s Saint Brigid Celebrates Women Worldwide
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| Woman making a traditional Saint Brigid Cross |
Celebrating the international themes of growth, light and renewal, the spirit of Saint Brigid is now being celebrated by women not just in Ireland but worldwide. Lá Fhéile Bríde is truly alive!
Founder of the first monastery in County Kildare, Brigid was born in Dundalk in 450 AD. Her father was a pagan chieftain of Leinster and her mother was a Christian. She was inspired by Saint Patrick to spread the world of God around Ireland. She is one of the Patron Saints of Ireland along with Saint Patrick and Saint Columcille.
This year marks the 8th global Saint Brigid's Day programme with Ireland's Embassies and Consulates hosting and supporting a range of events to celebrate the achievements of women. Over 70 events are taking place across the world celebrating the creativity of females. The feast day of the patroness saint has now evolved to become an important celebration of Irish women.
But why is this so? When it comes to Saint Brigid (also known as Bríd or Brigit) it's all about feminism, community, environmentalism and spirituality... subjects that are timeless but were never more important.
Until now, Saint Patrick is Ireland's best known saint and is in the spotlight every year in March and Saint Patrick's Day still remains a huge international and national holiday. However a huge revival in the past few years has seen the popularity of Saint Brigid soar with huge awareness now spreading internationally. The Celtic festival of Imbolc marks the arrival of spring and Saint Brigid's Day on February 1st is seen as a day to move forward out of the dark of winter and into new possibilities.
There's a new Bank Holiday in Ireland to celebrate Brigid with celebrations everywhere from eco friendly Saint Brigid's cross workshops to theatrical parades and candlelit gigs in cathedrals.
So what's in a name? The name Bridget is an Anglicised version of the Irish which is Bríd or Saint Brigid, meaning 'exalted one' or 'strength'. The spelling of Bridget is also commonly used when referring to the Swedish 14th century Saint Birgitta.
For over 200 years, for Irish emigrants in the United States, Bridget has been a popular girls name and in recent years in the USA and UK, Bridget was still around the 700th most common name.
And in the UK, Bride's Mound in Glastonbury is also associated with the legend of Saint Brigid. She is said to have visited the site in the 5th century and the Celtic festival of Imbolc continues to be marked there. The Hebrides in Scotland also keep the tradition of the Saint Brigid's Cross and the Brideog which is a doll of Saint Brigid which was taken from house to house in a locality on the eve of her feast day on February 1st is still carried out in some remote areas.
And Saint Brigid's story goes even further... references to the Celtic goddess Brigid are also found in New Orleans and Haitian Vodou. Vodou developed in the Caribbean between the 17th and 18th centuries at the height of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. 'Maman Brigitte' is one of the most important spirits in Vodou and is said to be a powerful healer and a protectress of women.
Tourism Ireland is spreading the awareness of Saint Brigid and inviting people from all over the world to visit Ireland at this time in spring to celebrate the 'season of green' and awakening after winter.
Saint Brigid may have been around for at least half a millennium already but she's now being hailed as Ireland's new (and oldest) feminist icon!