Ss. Brigid & Darlughdach 

of Kildare

In the pre-Christian period of Celtic history, Brigid was one of the most beloved god­desses. Both solar and lunar, she guaranteed the fertility of fields, sheep, cows and human mothers, and she protected all bodies of water Her principal symbol was perpetual fire, representing wisdom, poetry, healing, therapy, the forge and the hearth

St Brigid (Bridget, Bride, Ffraid) is the most famous woman saint of Ireland She was revered for her charity, miracles and lavish hospitality Some writers theorize that she may have begun her life as the last high priestess of Brigid Such previous authority would help to explain why, in some of her “Lives,” St Mel, Bishop of Ardagh, is said to have ordained her a bishop When questioned about doing this, Mel responded that she alone of the abbesses of Kildare would be a bishop, but her successors would continue to have a bishop’s jurisdictional authority Indeed they did The other Irish bishops customarily sat at the feet of  Brigid’s successors, until the Synod of Kells ended this custom in 1152 Brigid’s double monastery at Kildare was built at a location previously sacred to her divine namesake It had a perpetual fire which was kept burning by the nuns in St Brigid’s memory, until it was extinguished by the Reformation in 1540

Brigid was one of the many Celtic saints who insisted that a vital component of the spiritual life is having a soul friend (anam cara) Her own dear friend was the younger nun Darlughdach, who slept with her and sometimes functioned as her ambassador When Brigid told her that she expected to be dying soon, Darlughdach begged that they might die together Brigid responded that she would outlive her for one year, in order to succeed her as abbess After this she would join her in heaven Brigid died in 525 on February 1st — the date of Imbolc the annual festival of the goddess Brigid Since Darlughdach died exactly one year later, they share the same feast

On the icon’s frame, their names are in Gaelic Since fire is the symbol of Northern Sophia (Wisdom), the mandala on the breast of the saints contains fire and a face of Christ evocative of the Book of Kells This represents Christ/Holy Wisdom, Whose divine love enflames them, consumes them, is the bond between them and the gift they bestow The flames above them serve as a reminder that the pre-Christian Brigid was a triple goddess whose blaze represented the spiritual gifts of poetry, healing and smith craft Thus it is appropriate that parts of the icon are painted with copper, silver and three different karats of gold  

Bridge Building images, Inc.

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© 1996 Robert Lentz  

  

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