I love the simple beauty of St. Brigid’s crosses. In Ireland, they are made from rushes and contain a beautiful woven square in the middle with four equidistant arms that are tied at the ends. They make these crosses for the feast day of St. Brigid, February 1st.

Many people believe this cross has pre-Christian origins and I wholeheartedly agree. The cross reminds me of the spokes of the wheel that the goddess Brigid turns toward spring during the celebration of Imbolc. The four spokes of this cross represent the two solstices and two equinoxes of the year. With all the connections that can be made between Brigid and St. Brigid, it’s not hard to believe that Brigid’s cross is a Christian adaptation of the wheel of the year.

The earliest origin of St Brigid’s cross may possibly be the sun cross or wheel cross that dates back to prehistoric times, especially during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods.  Wheel crosses appear frequently in artifacts associated with religious rites. They call to mind the spokes of a chariot wheel. If this is the case, this cross could have been used in connection with the sun chariot the gods rode to carry the sun across the sky. Whatever the case may be, this is an old symbol that has been connected to spirituality for a very long time. Enjoy!

Copyright 2023 by David Taliesin, http://www.sabbatsandsabbaths.com