Every year as a part of our Imbolc celebrations, Hollow Hills Grove makes Brighid’s Crosses. These are made to honour the Irish Celtic Goddess Brigit, Brid or Brighid, the Goddess of poetry, smithcraft and healing. She is a hearth goddess and a goddess of the home. Brighid’s Holy Wells can be found in many places in the British Isles and Ireland, although her most famous is in Kildare. She is also the patroness of farm work and cattle, and protector of the household from fire and calamity. Brighid’s crosses are made to protect the house from fire and are a potent talisman.
The class starts with a practice session and we make our Brighid’s Crosses with straws. They are more pliable than the wheat we use, and it makes it easier to get a feel for how to form the crosses.
Practice Four Armed Cross Made of Straws
We get our materials from a local thatcher, which is a great way to use what remains of his inventory.
We soak the wheat in warm water until it becomes pliable and then we are taught how to weave three armed and four armed crosses. with and without wheat heads.
Three and Four Armed Brighid's Crosses
Christians consider Brighid’s crosses to be a Christian symbol, but it also resembles and possibly derives from the pagan sun wheel. Traditionally the cross is made from rushes or straw.
We hang our crosses in our homes after we bless them at our Imbolc ritual (this year Sunday February 5th – email us if you wish to attend!) to protect us until the next year.