by the Rev. Cynthia Bronson Sweigert
“For [Wisdom] is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty…she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of God’s goodness…in every generation she passes into Holy souls and makes them friends of God and prophets.” (from the Wisdom of Solomon)
As you know, St. John’s is hosting a series on the Divine Feminine during Lent. One of the women chosen to give us a glimpse into this feminine aspect is Brigid of Kildare.
I grew up being only vaguely aware of St. Brigid. It wasn’t until I spent time on the island of Iona and learned something about Celtic traditions that I began to think about Brigid more regularly.
She’s not at all easy to grasp, in my view. Her names alone can add confusion…Bride, Brid, Brigon, Brigitta, Brigantia – and so on. At various times she’s been called the patron saint of poets, midwives, newborns, Irish nuns, fugitives, blacksmiths, dairy maids, boatmen, chicken farmers, cattle, scholars, sailors and more!
I realized early on that I was encountering more than one Brigid. There is the remarkable woman who lived in Kildare, Ireland and was the founder and abbot of a monastic community of women and men. Some said she had been given all of the charisms and responsibilities of a bishop, whether or not she had actually been ordained as one. She is often depicted holding a bishop’s crosier.
There is another Brigid, though – called the earlier Brigid – who was a powerful Goddess of the Celtic people, not unlike Artemis or other goddesses. Brigid of Kildare certainly became clothed in some of the attributes of Brigid, Celtic Goddess, keeper of prophecies and dreams, poetry and music.
Brigid of Kildare has been called “The Lady – or Saint – of the Threshold.” One of the ways in which she is seen as a bridge is as a transitional figure between Celtic polytheism and Celtic Christianity. I prefer Fr. Matthew Fox’s statement that Brigid stands as “a symbol of continuity in the Celtic world – between one age of wisdom and the next.”
How might Brigid accompany us as we journey through Lent?
Featured photo of St. Brigid’s Cross by Culnacreann, used with permission CC-BY 3.0
