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While the Brigid's Cross is widely believed to be a Christian symbol its origin lies in much
older traditions that celebrate the life-giving goddess, Brigid of the Tuatha de Danaan.
She is known by many names: Bride, Bridey, Brighid, Brigit, Briggidda, Brigantia,and
Breet. She is the traditional patroness of healing, poetry, and smithcraft. She is a female
solar deity associated with rivers, and wells and has the attributes of inner healing, vital
energy, light, inspiration, and all of the skills associated with fire. She is known as The
Mistress of the Mantle representing the sister, or virgin aspect of the Great Goddess. She
is the Goddess of physicians and healing, of divination and prophecy and in an older
incarnation she was Breo-saighead, or fiery arrow, with the attributes of punishment and
divine justice.
In modern Britain, Brigid is known as the warrior-maiden, Brigantia, and venerated not
only as justice and authority, but also as the personification of Britain symbolising the
nation for 2,000 years, whose image is routinely mistaken for Boudica, Queen Victoria,
and even Margaret Thatcher. There are three rivers named for her, the Brigit, the Braint,
and the Brent in Ireland, Wales, and England respectively. She is associated with the
cow and the beginning of spring. She survived Christendom by becoming a saint, the
patron saint of smiths, poets and healers. Sir James Frazer wrote of St. Brigid in the
Golden Bough, "An old heathen goddess of fertility, disguised in a threadbare Christian
cloak."
| How to Make a Brigit Cross |
The Brigid's cross is a Celtic Sun Wheel woven from rushes or reeds. They are oftem made at
Imbolc and hung at the entrance of the home as a blessing and for protection. To make one
you will need You will need 16 reeds, rushes, or pieces of straw.
Imbolc and hung at the entrance of the home as a blessing and for protection. To make one
you will need You will need 16 reeds, rushes, or pieces of straw.
1. To begin take the shortest piece and hold it upright. Then take a second
straw, fold it in half and wrap it around the center of the first straw so that
it opens to the right.
straw, fold it in half and wrap it around the center of the first straw so that
it opens to the right.
2. Pull it tight and rotate 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
3. Take a third straw and wrap it around the center of the second straw so that it is
opens to the right.
opens to the right.
4. Pull it tight and rotate 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
5. Take a fourth straw and wrap it around the center of
the third straw so that it opens to the right.
the third straw so that it opens to the right.
6. Pull it tight and rotate 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Take a fifth
straw and wrap it around the center of the fourth straw so that it
opens to the right.
straw and wrap it around the center of the fourth straw so that it
opens to the right.