St Brigid's day, the first day of Spring

Idag är den första dag av våren på Irland, och dessutom firar vi Saint Bridget's day.

Sankta Bridget, född 452, död 525, är Irlands skyddshelgon.
Det finns många berättelser kring Brigid. Hon var generös med de fattiga, och blev nunna och startade ett flertal kloster.
En tradition som vi har på Irland är att 'veva' en enkel kors med gröna tågväxter, (bild nedan) som man hänger i huset för att hålla sjukdom och brand borta under året.
Rushes Tågväxter

One of the traditions surrounding St Brigid's day is to make a St Brigid's day cross from rushes (in photo above)
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St Brigids Cross.

Saint Brigid of Kildare or Brigid of Ireland (Brigit, Bridget, Bridgit,or Bríd) (Irish: Naomh Bríd) (c. 451–525) is one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba. Her feast day is February 1, or Candlemas, the traditional first day of spring in Ireland. She is believed to have been an Irish Christian nun, abbess, and founder of several convents.
Brigid was given the same name as one of the most powerful goddesses of the pagan religion which her father Dubhthach practiced. In that religion, Brigid was the goddess of healing, inspiration, craftsmanship and poetry, which the Irish considered the flame of knowledge.


According to tradition a new cross is made each Saint Brigid's Day (February 1), and the old one is burned to keep fire from the house, yet customs vary by locality, and family. Many homes have multiple crosses preserved in the ceiling the oldest blackened by many years of hearth fires. Some believe that keeping a cross in the ceiling or roof is a good way to preserve the home from fire which was always a major threat in houses with thatch and wood roofs.

Celebrating this day, ie Feb 1st, goes back before Christian times, as this extract from wikipedia tells us. The Celts used to celebrate the start of Spring at this time and called it Imbolc.

Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Celtic calendar, celebrated among Gaelic peoples and some other Celtic cultures, either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on February 1, which falls halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere.[1] Originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid's Day.

text in italics and photos are loaned from wikipedia.

Enjoy the day, whether it's spring(Ireland), winter (Sweden) or summer (Australia) where you are.
zile