Bridget was a Sun Goddess; she was born at sunrise and a tower
of bright flame burst from her forehead that reached from Earth to the
Otherworld. She was also a Goddess of healing, herbalism, the arts, and
midwifery. She is known as a triple goddess, one part of her represents
poetry and inspiration, one part of her represents midwifery and healing
and the third part represents crafts and smiths. She is deeply in touch
with the powers of water as well as fire. There were a many sacred wells
and springs dedicated to her and offerings were thrown into the water (usually
gold or brass rings, and later, coins). The Celtic Hearth is also dedicated
to Bridge; she had a shrine at Kildare, Ireland with a perpetual flame
tended by nineteen virgin priestesses (Daughters of Flame). They wouldn't
talk to men and no male was ever allowed near; food and other supplies
were brought by other women. When Catholicism took over in Ireland the
shrine became a convent and the fire was tended by nuns. The eternal flame
was kept burning for many years until a catholic bishop, who felt women
were subordinate to men, insisted upon their obedience and ordered the
flame extinguished. Bridget is still the best example of the survival of
a Goddess into Christian records; her image was dedicated by the Catholic
church as St. Bridget and various myths were made, the most popular being
that she was midwife to the Virgin Mary, and thus was invoked and prayed
to by women in labor. Another story tells that she was the daughter of
a Druid who predicted the coming of Christianity and that she was baptized
by St. Patrick himself, though it is also said that she is the daughter
of Dagda, the deity of the Tuatha De Danaan. Her festival, Imbolc, is celebrated
February first or second, representing the coming of spring; fires are
lit at sundown and feasts are shared with her. She is a symbol of human
potential.
Bridget came from here.
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