Brigit is a goddess who survived the onslaught of Christianity. She wasn't turned into a devil like so many other Goddesses. So great was the love of the Irish people for this deity, that they retained all Her characteristics as a Christian saint! They would have none of Christianity if they couldn't keep Brigit. So the Catholic church had no choice but to make her a saint. She is a triple Goddess. This triple aspect of the Goddess is where Christians got the idea of the Trinity. The three-leaf shamrock was originally of "The Three Mothers", as well as the three phases of the moon being her symbols. She shares some attributes with the ancient Greek triple Goddess Hecate. There is a Swedish St Bridget also. Brigit's fame has been far and wide. Even as far as Africa, having come to Haiti in the hearts of deported Irish and Scottish indentured servants. However she went through a radical transformation, and her distant relative Maman Brigitte bears little resemblance, being rather a Goddess of vengence. She, did, however, retain the healing aspects, being called on to cure those at death's door.

Brigit is known by various names, Brigit being the most ancient form. The name variations are: Brighid, Bride (Scottish), Brid, Brigit, Bridget, Brigantia (English), Brigan, Brigindo (Gaul) and Brigandu. Her name derives from her worship by the pre-Christian Brigantes, who honored her as identical with Juno, Queen of Heaven.

Into the 18^th Century, her sacred flame was tended, at first, by priestesses, and later by nuns, when the shrine became a convent, at Kildare, Ireland. These nineteen virgin priestesses were called Daughters of the Flame. Today these same sacred fires are tended by nineteen nuns. No man was ever allowed near. In fact, these women had other women in the village bring them their necessary supplies so they wouldn't have to deal with men. This no-men policy infuriated the Catholic church. Because they would not submit themselves to inspection by a priest, the Bishop ordered the sacred flame to be extinguished. Even so, Brigit remained Ireland's most popular saints. And in 1993, the Brigidine sisters of Ireland rekindled her flame at Kildare.

Brigit's triple aspects are of Inspiration, Smithcraft, and of Healing. As the Goddess of Inspiration, she blesses poetry, creativity, prophecy and the arts. She was even esteemed as the patron diety of language, having inspired the alphabet. As the Goddess of Smithcraft, she blesses blacksmiths, goldsmiths, and other crafters of the household. As Goddess of Healing, she blesses physical and spiritual healing, fertility of crop and livestock and mid-wifery.

Imbolc, the Celtic spring festival, honors Brigit. The Druids called this sacred holiday Oimelc, meaning "ewe's milk". Held on February 1st or 2nd, it celebrated the birthing and freshening of sheep and goats. After Christianized, the version of Candlemas also involves much elaborate rituals and feasting.

To this day, many Irish homes have a St Brigit's cross for protection, still made from rushes as in days of old. Many fables surround the goddess/saint Brigit. One is that wherever she would walk, flowers would spring up under her feet. Another fable concerns her mantle. St Brigid asked the king for the site in Kildare county called Curragh, an expansive site where sheep graze in large flocks and horses race, for her convent. The king refused. So she said she'd be satisfied if he just gave her the area that her mantle would cover. The king agreed to that easily. However, when the mantle was thrown down, it grew and grew until it covered the entire Curragh expanse. It seemed as if it would cover all of Ireland!

Her magical mantle was praised in poetry and proverb:

A Bhrigid, scar os mo chionn Do bhrat fionn dom anacal Oh Brigid spread Above my Head Your mantle bright To guard me.

The Irish put their friends, "fd bhrat Bhrighde,", "under Brigid's mantle". May you be kept safe and warm "under Brigid's Mantle".

Blessed Be!

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