Feb 1st 2023 Imbolc/Candlemas
The mid-point between winter and spring is celebrated across a multitude of cultures, but perhaps the most well know is the feast of St. Brigid.
Brigid (Brigit, Brig, etc.) is a pre-Christian Celtic Goddess of poetry, the arts, healing, wisdom, healing waters, eternal flame, and more. There is some speculation that "Brigit" may have been a title instead of a name, bestowed to several goddesses. There is also thought that perhaps Brigit was a triple goddess, with some early Christian writings mentioning Brigit the Healer, Brigit the Poet, and Brigit the Smith. She was likely later absorbed into the Christian mythos and canonized as Saint Brigid of Kildare. While the historicity of Saint Brigid remains hotly contested, there is no doubt the Saint and Goddess have take on each others attributes. There is also an interesting speculation that Brigid of Kildare was a real priestess/druid chieftain of Brigid's temple, and was placed in charge of converting it to a Christian monastery. It's thought that the name and characteristics of the goddess were then attributed to her to keep the old traditions alive. One of the most common ways to observe the Feast of St. Brigid is to make a cross of freshly gathered rushes. My Favorite tutorial can be found here: Brigid's Cross Tutorial