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(Webmaster's note: These two articles were originally published in Oak Leaves, the magazine of our parent organization, ADF. Both articles were written by Fox, ArchDruid Emeritus of ADF, and former Senior Druid of Shining Lakes Grove.)

Brigit, Behind the Veil

Introduction

The goddess Brigit has been the object of reverence for thousands of years over a wide expanse of Western Europe. Even today her devotees grow in number, among Neopagans and Christians alike. Although the intention of many of these devotees is to restore Brigit to her pre-Christian glory the image of the goddess that is honored today is, in many ways, very different from the Brigit that our Pagan ancestors knew.

Brigit belongs to a large and diverse group of Celtic mother goddesses. Her mythology and folklore bear unmistakable marks of her membership in this group, but there are many differences that set her apart as well. At least in part, these differences are due to the enthusiasm with which the Christians adopted her into their pantheon as a saint.

To understand the more ancient nature of Brigit we trace her evolution, and that of the other mother goddesses, from a time before the Celts had become a distinct ethnic group. Among the Proto-Indo-European people the origins of the Celtic mother goddesses can be traced to two distinct figures: the transfunctional goddess and the virginal goddess. Of particular interest for our purposes is the interaction of these goddesses with the principle of kingship.

The Transfunctional Goddesses

The transfunctional goddesses are first and foremost mother goddesses, embodied in the local rivers and lands through which they flow. As the very sources of life itself their primary concerns are with the fertility and abundance of the land and the creatures that dwell there. An example of a transfunctional goddess is the Indic Sarasvati.

These goddesses were also sources of knowledge and wisdom. Theirs was the ultimate source of numinous wisdom flowing from the otherworldly well. They were venerated at wells, springs and rivers.

These goddesses are referred to as "transfunctional" because they usually transcend Dumézilian function to benefit the society at large. This behavior is in contrast to their male counterparts who tend to be more class-conscious. One of the results of this transcendence is that many of the goddesses that descend from these ancient deities possess three-fold aspects or personae. That triplicity is the result of the individual goddess's reflection in each of the three-fold divisions of traditional I-E society. Examples of these descendant triple goddesses are: Brigit, Gwenhwyfar, Macha, and the Morrigán.

In terms of the transfunctional goddesses' relationship to kingship, the paramount role of these goddesses is as givers of sovereignty, the validation of the worthiness of a king. Traditionally the very survival of a people depended upon the fitness of their king, as indicated by acceptance by the goddess of the land. Unlike the concept of sovereignty that was to arise in later Celtic cultures, this ancient predecessor did not involve sexual intercourse between the human male and the sovereignty goddess. For the purposes of this article, this is a key distinction.

The Perpetual Virgin

The second ancient goddess type is the perpetual virgin. She is probably best represented in the tales of the Indic goddess Madhavi. In the Mahabharata, Madhavi is willfully sold by her father to provide royal progeny for four kings. During the tale she reveals that she is gifted with renewable virginity and thus was suitable to perpetuate the four royal lineages that would have otherwise ended childless.

This theme, the salvation and perpetuation of kingships by the carnal intercession of a virgin, is common in the I-E family of cultures. In the Celtic world, for reasons that I will explore in a moment, the emphasis on virginity is obscured but the theme is prevalent nonetheless. Medb (incidentally from *Medus, the same root as Madhavi) had the same willful role in the continuation of a number of legendary Irish royal lines. The important distinction from the role of the transfunctional goddess above is that the perpetual virgin does not establish sovereignty, but rather provides for salvation of existing kingships.

Celtic Hybrids

The fragmentary remnants of these two types of goddesses may still be observed in Norse, Roman and Indic mythology. But, somewhere along the road, as the Celts emerged from the mists of time, these female roles became combined. This combination led to a unique new generation of hybrid goddesses with often contradictory attributes. The traditional struggles of chastity versus promiscuity, of asceticism versus sensuality, were recast among the Celtic divinity in terms of sexual power and jealousy.

Another important factor in this evolutionary change was the characteristic leveling of divine and human strata among the Celts. As these boundaries blurred, characters emerged who were no longer clearly divine or mortal. Combined with the crossbreeding of goddess roles, these changes yielded a sovereignty myth that, unlike the original, centered on the mating of mortal kings with divine beings.

These new hybrid mother goddesses/virgins expressed their power by the ability to withhold sexual acceptance of the would-be kings. Validation of kingship became a matter of choosing sexual consorts, a choice usually based upon virtuous behavior of the male. This placed the females in a dominant position that was expressed as overt sexual and martial prowess.

In other cases, the virginal goddess's chaste nature, that had originally acted as a deterrent to sexual contact, became replaced by ugliness or shrew-like qualities. As a result, the classic Celtic tale of the sovereignty goddess disguised as a hag attempting to seduce heroes emerged. More often than not the actual mothering roles of these goddesses became incidental to their sexual exploits.

Pre-Christian Brigit

Brigit is about as close to a pan-Celtic deity as they get. According to Ptolemy she was the tribal goddess of the Brigantes who resided in north Britain and south Leinster. To the British she was *Briganti. In Romano-British times she was Brigantia ("The High One"). The Irish usually call her Bríd (an epithet meaning "Exalted One") and alternate spellings of Bridget, Brigid, Bride and Breed can be found. The Welsh call her Brigantu and among the Gauls she was Brigindo or Bergusia. Her name also survives in the river Brent in England and the river Braint in Wales.

Her closest classical cognate is Minerva Belisama ("Brightest") and her name was once identical with the Sanskrit feminine adjective brhati ("great" or "lofty"). Like Brigit's famed sanctuary at Kildare, there was a temple dedicated to Minerva with an "eternal flame" in Britain in the 3rd century BCE. She is a goddess of wisdom and the originator of arts and crafts who is often depicted as a warrior woman, as is her cognate Athena. Brigit can also been seen as a cognate of Artemis who is closer to the virginal Madhavi in character.

There are a few accounts of Brigit that confirm the broader extent of her pre-Christian character. In Cath Almaine, "The Battle of Allen" Brigit appeared as a battle specter floating over the heads of the army of Leinster and thus terrified their enemy, army of Leth Cuinn. Also, in the tale of the Bórama, "The Tribute", Mo Ling protected himself from his enemies by praying to Brigit.

In Brigit's case it is abundantly clear that the qualities of mother goddess and goddess of wisdom have been retained through all of these changes. The vast majority of her lore concerns the granting of fertility, prosperity and inspiration. In some tales she is depicted as an equivalent to Danu, the mother of the Gods.

As an expression of her transfunctional nature, Brigit is both one goddess and three, sometimes linked with two eponymous sisters. The triple Brigit or three sisters of Brigit are goddesses of poetry, smithcraft and healing.

Monastic Whitewashing

Despite her obviously substantial role in the minds for the ancient Celts there are very few references to her in the tales recorded by the monastic scribes. Where she is present it seems that she has been greatly diminished. In the Lebor Gabála Érenn, ("Book of Invasions of Ireland") all of the female characters are in the background of the tale. Despite that, the sheer volume of folklore that has been passed down to us concerning Brigit lends much greater testimony to her high status.

What the monastic writings do relate is that Brigit is the daughter of the Daghda and she was among the Túatha dé Danann who migrated to Ireland. She had, at one point borne a son by Bres (named Ruadán) and three sons by Tuireann. Ruadán was slain during the 2nd battle of Mag Tuired while attempting to kill the god Goibniu. When Brigit came later to the battlefield to bewail her son it was the first time crying and shrieking were heard in Ireland.

Brigit As Christian Saint

Brigit is one of the few Pagan deities to make a smooth transition from goddess to Christain Saint. Unlike the usual pattern of overlaying the Pagan deity with a pre-existing Christian icon, Brigit was simply christianized, name and all. She is known in Ireland as St. Brigit (St. Ffraid in Wales) and in popularity is second only to St. Patrick.

The tales of St. Brigit make efforts to fabricate a story of a living human saint but the parallels between the accounts and what we know of the goddess, along with the magical symbolism of the tales, leave no doubt of her true origins. According to the Rennes Dinnsenchus she was the daughter of a druid, Dubthach, and a woman named Broiseach. She was born around 455 AD at Faughart when her mother was delivering milk into the druid's house. Her mother gave birth to her as she crossed the threshold of the doorway, thus being born neither in nor outside of the house.

She was reportedly raised on the milk of magical otherworldly cows and as a young girl was said to have presided as a midwife over the birthing of Christ. In the southern Hebrides Christ is known as Dalta Bríde "the foster son of Bríde" and she is sometimes called "Mary of the Gaels" by the Irish. It the light of the I-E concept of the perpetual virgin mother of kings it is not at all surprising that the Celts could easily make such a substitution.

There is a great deal of intense fertility goddess symbolism in the tales of her life. Even though she herself was a virgin, she supplied limitless food without her larder ever dwindling. She could provide a lake of milk from her cows, which were milked three times a day and when she presided over ale brewing at Easter, one measure of her malt made enough ale for her seventeen churches.

St. Brigit's feast day takes place on the first day of February, which coincides with the original pagan festival to the goddess Brigit. She is said to travel about the countryside on the eve of this festival to bestow her blessings on the people and their animals.

She is recorded as founding her first religious settlement at Kildare (cill-dara "church of oak"). In this monastery there was a perpetual fire that was guarded by nineteen virgins and no man could approach her shrine. She reportedly died in her monastery in about 525 AD and the flame was maintained until it was ordered extinguished during the reign of King Henry VIII. Today, a new flame has been kindled at Kildare and it has been passed all around the world. Many paganfolk, including some of our groves, are involved in the effort of devotion to keep the flame of this mighty goddess alive once more.

Bibliography:

Imbolc Traditions

Imbolc is a festival of purification and a celebration of the first signs of spring. It is the time when the milk begins to engorge the udders of the livestock in preparation for the first births of spring. It was an important date in the beginning of the agricultural year. Preparations for spring sowing, hiring of farm workers for the coming season, fishermen taking out their boats after staying in for the winter season, seaweed gathering on the coast to be used for fertilizer, and the gathering of shellfish all began that this time. The larder of the housewife and the hay stores of the farmer were checked to make sure that only half had been consumed.

Most of the elements of the traditional celebration can be seen as referring to sexual intercourse and fertility: the men having the charge of making the "little Bride doll", often from the phallic dasher of a churn; the women preparing the "bed" for the doll; the churning of butter; the emphasis on birth and milking; and the use of straw, which was the traditional material for the birthing bed for human and beast alike.

In folk practice it appears as a holiday centered on the household but it can easily be turned into a community celebration as well. Below are some customs that have long been associated with this sacred hoiday. Feel free to modify the following to match your needs and the particulars of your family and community.

Spring Cleaning - This is the time to give your home a good thorough cleaning in preparation for a visit from Brigit. If you happen to have a fireplace it especially should be cleaned very well. As a part of the magical purification of the house a birch branch should be used to symbolically sweep the floors. Birch has strong associations with Brigit and has long been used for rites of purification and new beginnings. All of this work should be completed prior to the eve of Imbolc when a small dish of butter should be placed on a windowsill and a fresh fire kindled in the hearth or a candle lit in honor of Brigit.

Making the Brídeog - If possible (and applicable) this work should be done by the man of the household or a group of men in your grove. Long pieces of straw or rushes should be gathered and fashioned into the shape of a doll. The image should be dressed in white dolls clothing or merely wrapped in a white cloth in the manner of a dress. Her image should be decorated with bits of greenery, early flowers, shells and pretty stones. An especially pretty shell should be placed over her heart. For the greatest magical effect the doll can be built around the handle of an old butter churn dasher. When finished she should be consecrated with a few sprinkles of sacred water while invocations to Brigit are spoken. The resulting effigy is called a Brídeog (BREE-JOG) or "little Bríde" and is an important component of the traditional Imbolc celebration.

Brigit's Crosses - This is the most widely practiced custom associated with Imbolc. After the making of the Brídeog the extra straw should be gathered up and saved for use at the family or grove feast on the eve of Imbolg. For the best results the straw should be soaked in water for a couple of days prior to the feast. Part of that evening should be devoted to making Brigit's Crosses. These are weavings of straw that can be as simple as a few strands or amazingly elaborate. Most folks are familiar with the three or four armed variety but there is a great number of different regional patterns including what most people in America know as a "God's Eye" pattern woven around two sticks. At the end of the evening each person should take their cross home, sprinkle it with a bit of sacred water and speak a request of Brigit for blessing and protection of the home and family members. Old crosses from previous years should be moved to the rafters or attic of your home and the new crosses hung in their place near the entryways to the dwelling. Crosses that were woven by the children should be hung on the wall over their beds and if you happen to have a barn or out-building you should hang one there as well. They are especially effective in protecting the household and its inhabitants from fire and lightening. Throughout the year the crosses may be taken down temporarily when a Brigit blessing is needed: the a healing of a sick child; tucking between the mattress to assist in the conception of a child; placed upon a basket of seed being carried out to the garden for planting, etc.

Divination - the eve of Imbolc is the best time of the year to perform divinations specifically pertaining to the future welfare and prosperity of your family.

Imbolc Feast - On the eve of Imbolc a family or community feast should be held. When all is prepared and the table is set the persons who were involved in the making of the Brídeog should go outside and retrieve her. The doll should be placed on the outside of the building next to the open door. The men should get on their knees before the doll (the traditional gesture of respect for the Brídeog) and shout into the house, "Go on your knees, open your eyes, and admit Brigit!" The celebrants inside should answer, "Welcome! Welcome! Welcome to the holy woman!" The Brídeog should then be carried into the house and leaned against a leg of the feasting table. Begin the feast with a prayer of thanks.

Bríde's Bed - As the evening of the Imbolc feast winds down the women of the household or grove should gather up the last of the straw and fashion an oblong basket in the shape of a cradle called "leaba Bríde" (LAWA BREEJ) or "the bed of Bride". Place the bed near the hearth if you have one. Then place the Brídeog into the bed and place a small straight wand of birch with the bark peeled in the bed beside the figure. This wand is called "slatag Bride" (SLAH-TAHG BREEJ) or "the little wand of Bride". If you have burned a fire during the evening the ashes of the fire should be scraped smooth. In the morning check the ashes for Brigit's wand or better yet, her footprint to prove that she had visited during the night. If no marks are found burn some incense in the hearth or near the spot where the bed was placed, as an offering.

Brídeog Procession - This is a special type of procession, similar to caroling, that members of your grove can do on the eve of Imbolc (or one of the preceding nights if necessary). Arrangements should be made ahead of time so that people can sign up for a visit and know what to expect. They should also be advised that it is best to do the spring cleaning before the Brídeog visits. Assemble a company of participants, called "Biddy's" or Brídeogs and prepare you're the songs for the event. Then take the Brídeogs from house to house to offer blessings and entertainment to the families who live there. Dressing in unusual clothes and wearing funny hats will add to the fun of the event and is quite traditional. A young lady, traditionally the prettiest of the crowd, should be selected to carry the Brigit doll with them. When you arrive ask for admittance to the house (it is considered very bad luck to be uncivil to a Brídeog) and everyone should file in. Entertain the household with a couple of songs (traditionally song, rhymes and music on flute, violin, and later, accordion) and recite a prepared Brigit blessing for them. If the household does not already have one they should be presented with a Brigit's cross for protection and blessing through the year. Before going the family should present the Brídeogs with an item of food, especially one associated with dairy to be used at the community feast (or as an alternative you can collect non-perishable food items for a homeless shelter).

Blessing of the Brat Bríde - During the day before Imbolc the woman of the house or women of the grove should take a small piece of cloth (larger if it is for the entire grove) and lay it on a bush outside. During the night, as the goddess roams to bless the houses of her followers, she will pass by, touching and blessing the cloth. Collect the cloth in the morning and tear it into small pieces. These pieces of cloth, individually called a Brat Bríde (BRAHT BREEJ), should be distributed among the children and females of the household. The Brat Bríde will give them protection throughout the year where ever they go. These pieces of cloth may be sewn into the clothes or jackets of the children to insure that it won't be lost.

Blessing the Bratach Bríde - The Bratach Bríde (BRAH-TOCK BREEJ) is a large piece of cloth, such as a shawl that Brigit will bless in the same fashion as the Brat Bríde. Instead of being torn into pieces on the next day this cloth should be kept as a sacred relic and charged repeatedly year after year. The Bratach Bríde can become quite powerful over time and can be used to help insure safe childbirth and to cure sterility by placing it over the patient and asking for Brigit's help. It was once fairly standard equipment for country midwives in Ireland. In addition to being used for human mothers during childbirth it was also spread across the back of a birthing cow to ensure the health of the calf and an abundant supply of milk.

Bibliography:

Rob Henderson, SLG Webmaster

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