Brigid : Goddess or Saint?
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Brigid,
the Celtic Goddess :
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Triple Goddess and Beloved Christian Saint |
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The Celtic goddess Brigid
and her namesake, Saint Brigid of Ireland, can lay
claim to being the most complex, intriguing, widespread,
timeless, and beloved of all legendary ladies. Brigid appears in many
different guises, with numerous names, in many different
European cultures. And she has survived the ravages of time much
better than most.
Known as Bride in Scotland, Brigandu in France, Ffaid in Wales,
and Brigitania in England, the Irish goddess Brigid (usually
pronounced Breet) is also known by the names
Brighid, Bridget, Brid, and others. Her varying identities reflect her original
image as a triple goddess, but with each of her three faces
differing in their gifts.
The Brigid first worshipped in ancient times
was the daughter of the great Irish god Dagda, the 'Good
Father'. She had two sisters who were also named Brigid. Taken
together, they were called the 'Three Mothers', 'Three Sisters',
or simply the Goddess Brigid.
Unlike in Greek mythology where the Triple
Goddess represented the three chronological stages of a woman's
life (Maiden, Matron, and Crone), the Bridgets were all of the
same generation and the distinctions between them were based on
their domains of responsibility.
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Brigid, the 'Fire of the Hearth', was the
goddess of fertility, family, childbirth and healing.
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Brigid, the '"Fire of the Forge', was
like the Greek goddess Athena, a patroness of the crafts
(especially weaving, embroidery, and metalsmithing), and a
goddess who was concerned with justice and law and order.
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Brigid, the 'Fire of Inspiration', was
the muse of poetry, song history and the protector of all
cultural learning.
Much later,
when the Christian church came to Ireland, they had little hope
of making converts if they were to denounce the beloved goddess
of the Druids as a wicked demon. So instead they made her a
saint. Many of the ancient legends of the goddess were
soon to become the deeds of the saint. (Note: Some scholars cite
evidence that Saint Brigid was an actual woman, the daughter of
a Druid king and his Christian wife.) In
whatever form she might take, Saint or Goddess, Brigid is loved
as a goddess of peace and inspiration, one of compassion and
generosity, and one who had great gifts of insight and wisdom. |
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Discover
the
Goddess
Within |
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Learn more about the Celtic Goddess Brigid Learn more about the
Saint Brigid
See the symbols of the
Goddess Brigid |
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