St Brigid’s Day Art and Books
Even people who are not religious sometimes have a favorite saint. I feel like St Jude, patron saint of lost causes, is a popular choice. My personal favorite is Brigid of Kildare. With her feast day coming up on February 1st I’ve made some art in preparation. If you’re not familiar with the life of Brigid, maybe this post about why I love her can serve as a crash course.
In many ways, St Brigid’s story reveals how the light shines in the darkness. In her lifetime, even druids understood that God had a purpose for her life. I love how parts of her story symbolize the passing of pagan reign in Ireland. One of my favorite things about the way Christianity came to Ireland, is that for hundreds of years, Christianity didn’t require people to stop being Irish. Many of the same feasts, traditions and unique traits of “Irishness” continued until the Roman and British empires attempted to eliminate them.
St Brigid was known to be a passionate human. True to the Irish stereotype, St Brigid got worked up occasionally, even cursing those who angered her. But her passion also had a brighter side. When Brigid saw someone hungry or in need, she did everything in her power to meet that need. This is one of the things I love most about her. May I always strive to be as selfless and generous!
There's a story that Brigid asked a chief for land to build an Abbey on. He laughed at her and said she could have as much as her cloak would cover. Miraculously, her cloak covered the hillside and there Kildare Abbey was built. Miraculous. A little tricksy maybe? I love it! That story inspired these two pictures of Brigid (humans aren’t my strength, but I love her so I drew her anyway) and the abbey that stands at Kildare today.
Another thing I love about St Brigid is that she was a woman. It may seem obvious, but it’s amazing and fitting that she is one of the most influential figures in early Christian Irish history. There is much that could be said, but here is why I personally find her story comforting. St Brigid was ordained as a Bishop. Yet, men still performed baptisms and other church ceremonies in her abbey. I’ll try to be brief.
I go to a church that chooses to give teaching and speaking roles to men. Yet, I believe women have just as much wisdom and knowledge as men. Brigid didn’t use her position as a platform; she used it to serve. Where women find themselves in leadership positions, I support them. If I found myself in a leadership position over men, I don’t think I would balk at that as sinful. But where the conviction falls that this is not God’s design, why argue? To the one who feels it is sin, it is. God’s Spirit can do his job; I don’t have to tell people what to believe. It’s interesting to note that in my current church, the consequence of reserving these positions for men has led to a strong church full of men and women who lead and serve. In other churches I’ve attended where women hold the keys, men have all but disappeared. I know this is not always the case, hence my leading statements.
To return to the topic of the day, St. Brigid reminds that I have gifts that are valuable for serving God and that I can serve with or without recognition/position.
I love the story of Brigid’s cross. A local pagan chieftain was on his deathbed and suffering from a lack of peace. He called for Brigid who supposedly came and explained the gospel while weaving a cross of rushes. I’ve cared for people in their last days. I have seen the same restlessness of spirit many times. And I’ve had hard hearts ask me why I have peace in my spirit. This story feels deeply personal and reflective of my experiences with those transitioning to the next life. And as a nature and craft lover, I appreciate the work of her hands, even if it looked different from the Brigid’s crosses of today.
That being said, here are a couple of Brigid’s crosses for you. The cross and all of the knotwork were hand drawn, then I used watercolor and ink on the final. There are mistakes and cheats, but I still enjoyed the process.
Feel free to use the black-and-white one as a coloring page. Maybe you and/or the children in your life could listen to a YouTube video or a St Brigid’s Day mass such as my beloved Caherdavin Parish livestream (even if you’re not catholic—I’m not—or even religious). I love these books to learn about St Brigid and distinguish her from Brigid the goddess. Three out of four are children’s books, but I don’t think we ever grow out of them and they are a great, quick way to learn a few things about nearly any topic.
St. Brigid, the Celts & the Early Irish Church by Justin R. McCarthy (.99 ebook)
Brigid’s Cloak by Bryce Milligan with gorgeous illos by Helen Cann. This is a children’s book, but it’s one of my top ten picture books of all time and follows the written history of Brigid very well. It reminds me of the light coming to all mankind and how there is a God seeking out all people, even my own culture, for all of history.
Brigid and the Butter, another lovely kids’ book by Pamela Lova and Apryl Stott
And finally, the Life of St Brigid, Abbess of Kildare by Jane G Meyer. The illos by Zach Lynch are good, but I love the book for the Celtic knotwork on every page!
Whether or not you remember St Brigid this week, I hope you dig in and find rhythms and traditions that anchor you to the seasons. We were made for seasons and I believe it’s important for us (inside and out) to develop rhythms of work, rest, feast, and remembrance.
