You who breathes innovation,
and ignites that spark within us
You who forges with steel,
as well as with words
You who kindles the fires,
and stokes our passions high
Brighid, Lady of the Amber Forge,
I honour you.
9. Of the Pregnant Woman Blessed and Spared the Birth-Pangs
"1. With a strength of faith most powerful and ineffable, [Brigit] blessed a woman who, after a vow of virginity, had lapsed through weakness into youthful concupiscence, as a result of which her womb had begun to swell with pregnancy. In consequence, what had been conceived in the womb disappeared and she restored her to health and to penitence without childbirth or pain.
2. And, in accordance with the saying 'All things are possible to those who believe', she went on working countless miracles every day without ever proving anything impossible."
-Cogitosus, Life of Saint Brigit (translated by Sean Connolly and J.M. Picard, 1987)
This translation is in my personal files and I can send a copy to you upon request. If you want to thank me, consider a donation to The Brigid Alliance.
Il termine Imbolc in irlandese significa "in grembo", in riferimento alla gravidanza delle pecore, a indicare che in origine si trattava di una festa legata alle pecore da latte. In questo periodo venivano infatti alla luce gli agnellini e le pecore producevano latte. Il latte fresco, il formaggio, il burro e il siero di latte, per non parlare dei pasticci fatti con le code mozzate degli agnelli, costituivano spesso la differenza tra la vita e la morte per le persone anziane e i bambini, durante il gelo pungente di febbraio.
La festività celebrava la luce, che si rifletteva nell'allungamento della durata del giorno, e nella speranza per l'arrivo della primavera. Era tradizione celebrare la festa accendendo lumini e candele.
In epoca cristiana la festa di Imbolc venne equiparata alla Candelora. Poiché la festa pagana era sotto gli auspici della dea Brígit, si trasformò nella ricorrenza di Santa Brigida.
Bride is said to preside over the different seasons of the year and to bestow their functions upon them according to their respective needs. Some call January 'am mios marbh,' the dead month, some December, while some apply the terms, 'na tri miosa marbh,' the three dead months, 'an raithe marbh,' the dead quarter, and 'raithe marbh na bliadhna,' the dead quarter of the year, to the winter months when nature is asleep. Bride with her white wand is said to breathe life into the mouth of the dead Winter and to bring him to open his eyes to the tears and the smiles, the sighs and the laughter of Spring. The venom of the cold is said to tremble for its safety on Bride's Day and to flee for its life on Patrick's Day. There is a saying:--
‘Chuir Bride miar ’s an abhuinn
La na Feill Bride
Is dh’ fhalbh mathair ghuir an fhuachd,
Is nigh i basan anns an abhuinn
La na Feill Padruig
Is dh’ fhalbh mathair ghin an fhuachd.'
Bride put her finger in the river
On the Feast Day of Bride
And away went the hatching mother of the cold,
And she bathed her palms in the river
On the Feast Day of Patrick
And away went the conception mother of the cold,
Another version says:--
'Chuir Brighid a bas ann,
Chuir Moire a cas ann,
Chuir Padruig a chiach fhuar ann.' (?)
Bride put her palm in it,
Mary per her foot in it,
Patrick put the cold stone in it,
alluding to the decrease in cold as the year advances. In illustration of this is-- 'Chuir Moire meoirean anns an uisge La Fheili Bride is thug i neimh as, ’s La Fheill Padruig nigh i lamhan ann ’s dh’ fhalbh am fuachd uil as,' Mary put her fingers in the water on Bride's Feast Day and the venom went out of it, and on Patrick's Feast Day she bathed her hands in it and all the cold went out of it.
Carmina Gadelica, Volume 1, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900], at sacred-texts.com page 172
February is almost over, which reminded me that I haven't shared photos from Lá Fhéile Bríde yet. This year was marvelous. Such good food and happy company. 🕯🌾✨
just broke my own heart while making Lá Fhéile Bríd preparations it literally JUST occurred to me that I have nowhere to hang my Brat Bríde this year since my landlord bulldozed my favorite tree/best pal (and the entire woods behind my house) where I used to hang it. I hate this. I hate renting. I hate that nobody gives a fuck about the planet