It falls on August 2nd in the Southern hemisphere, and February 2nd in the Northern hemisphere. Imbolc celebrates the banishing of winter, and the stirring of new life in the earth. The word imbolc literally means “ewe’s milk” in Old English, and the festival heralds the first of the spring lambs.

The celebration of St. Brigid’s Day on February 1 Northern Hemisphere/ August 1st Southern Hemisphere was put in place by the church to replace Imbolc. The Goddess Brigid was transformed to a Saint by the Catholic Church. It seems, yet https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=453 write that Saint Bridgit was not the Godess Bridgett?
As many Pagan celebrations have also been adapted to bring Pagans into the “Religious Churches Christian base” many pagans were forced too attend Churches. Yet continued to celebrate Pagan Sabbats and it seems that some attempt by the Church at the time to weave their desired forced beliefs on the pagans forced to attend and build these ‘Churches’

On her feast day, an effigy of St. Brigid of Kildare is traditionally washed in the ocean and surrounded by candles to dry, and stalks of wheat are transformed into cross talismans known as Brigid crosses. Then the Christian Church also has Candlemass (2nd February Northern Hemisphere 2nd August Southern Hemisphere) .

The precursor of the end of Winter, the Imbolc is a pagan festivity that marks a seasonal change, with the first signs of spring and the first sprouting of leaves. Here
Barbara Meiklejohn-Free explains the traditions behind Imbolc and the different ways Imbolc is celebrated around the world.

February 2nd is the cross-quarter day that falls between Midwinter (Yule), and the Vernal Equinox of Spring, called Imbolc (pronounced Em-olk). It was claimed as ‘Candlemas’ by the Catholic Church, marking the start of banishing Winter. The ‘greens’ that adorned the house throughout the Yule season were gathered and burned to give off a bright fire to break the hold of the cold of Winter, heralding the snowdrop and other spring flowers. Imbolc actually begins at sunset on February 1st and continues till sunset on February 2nd in keeping with the Celtic tradition of beginning the day at the time of dark.

In Europe fields were purified and offerings were made to the Grain Goddesses. This is a very significant moment in the life of a society that depends on the Earth for sustenance. Waverly Fitzgerald in Celebrating the Seasonal Holy-Days, recounts this medieval Anglo-Saxon plowing charm. As the fanner cut the first furrow, he would say, ‘Whole be thou Earth, Mother of men. In the lap of God, Be thou as-growing. Be filled with fodder, For fare-need of men.’ The farmer then took a loaf of bread, kneaded it with milk and holy water and laid it under the first furrow saying, ‘Acre full fed, Bring forth fodder for men! Blossoming brightly, Blessed become; And the God who wrought the ground, Grant us the gifts of growing, That the corn, all the corn, May come unto our need.’

In Ireland, February 1st is the feast day of St. Brigid, who began as a pagan goddess and ended up a Christian Saint. She was a fire and fertility Goddess and at her oak grove at Kildare an eternal flame burned until the 16th Century. Nine Virgins had tended this sacred flame since the beginning of remembered time. People still put a loaf of bread on the windowsill for her and an ear of corn for her white cow, which was her totem animal.

Celtic women still use this time of the year for ‘spring cleaning’, as it has always been tradition to extinguish the home’s main fire and thoroughly clean out the hearth. Kindling and logs for a new fire were set and then ignited when people returned home with an ember or coal from the community bonfire. In older times all the people of the community would light their candle from the central candle at the Candlemas Service and bring that taper home to light their house blessing candle.

The house blessing candle was a large candle that was burned throughout the year to provide blessing and protection for the home. Candles are obviously used for celebration at this time and some remember Brigid’s sacred eternal flame by lighting a candle to burn throughout a full day of dark and light. All grain foods are traditional to this holiday especially pancakes and cakes, their golden colour and circular shape symbolising the sun. Sweeping the floors was an act of banishing the gloom of Winter. Since Imbolc is a natural time of renewal, this is a good day to ritually celebrate things new and since purification is also an element, this is a good time to spring clean and smudge your home.

Jennifer McShane

February 01 2015 11:39 A

We have been endured a long, dark and cold winter but longer, brighter evenings are finally on the way as today – February 1 – marks the first day of spring, and is also known as Lá Fhéile Bhríde, Saint Brigid’s Feast Day.

Here are a few facts you may not know about St. Brigid’s Day and the saint herself:

1. St. Brigid’s Day, on February 1st, officially marks the start the pagan festival of spring.

2. It is also known as ‘Imbolc’, or the Feast of Brigid, It celebrates the arrival of longer, warmer days and the early signs of spring.

3. ‘Imbolc’ literally means “in the belly” in the old Irish Neolithic language.

4. It is one of the four major “fire” festivals, referred to in Irish mythology. The other three festivals are Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain.

5. Brigid is one of Ireland’s patron saints and was known also as a fertility goddess in Celtic mythology.

6. She is often referred to as ‘Brigit of Kildare’, and was said to be the founder of several monasteries of nuns, including that of Kildare. She is also associated with perpetual, sacred flames, and there is also a shrine dedicated to her in Kildare.

7. According to tradition, Saint Brigid was born at Fochart (or Fothairt), near Dundalk in Co Louth

8. One of the most common traditions of the day is to make a Saint Brigid’s Cross.

These crosses are relatively simple to make, and traditionally, Brigid’s crosses are made on Brigid’s Eve, January 31st. They are usually made from fresh rushes, but you can also use straws if you don’t have them. They are made in a cross shape with a square shape in the middle and then four arms coming along each side.

 9. Some believe that the crosses have the power to protect the owner’s home from harm.

The word Imbolc means literally “in the belly” in the old Irish Neolithic language, referring to the pregnancy of ewes.

In ancient Irish mythology, Brigid was a fire goddess. Nowadays, her canonization is celebrated with a perpetual flame at her shrine in Kildare.2

St. Brigid’s Cathedral in Co Kildare (Ireland’s Content Pool)

St. Brigid is the patron saint of babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, cattle farmers, children whose parents are not married, children whose mothers are mistreated by the children’s fathers, Clan Douglas, dairymaids, dairy workers, fugitives, Ireland, Leinster, mariners, midwives, milkmaids, nuns, poets, the poor, poultry farmers, poultry raisers, printing presses, sailors, scholars, travelers, and watermen. Here’s a busy saint!

Imbolc traditions and customs

One folk tradition that continues in some homes on St. Brigid’s Day (or Imbolc) is that of the Brigid’s Bed.

The girls and young unmarried women of the household or village create a corn dolly to represent Brigid, called the Brideog (“little Brigid” or “young Brigid”), adorning it with ribbons and baubles like shells or stones. They make a bed for the Brideog to lie in.

On St. Brigid’s Eve (Jan 31), the girls and young women gather together in one house to stay up all night with the Brideog, and are later visited by all the young men of the community who must ask permission to enter the home, and then treat them and the corn dolly with respect.

The following day the girls carry the Brideog through the village or neighborhood, from house to house, where this representation of the saint/goddess is welcomed with great honor.

Adult women – those who are married or who run a household – stay home to welcome the Brigid procession, perhaps with an offering of coins or a snack. Since Brigid represents the light half of the

year,and the power that will bring people from the dark season of winter into spring, her presence is very important at this time of year.

Tonight is St Brigid’s eve so don’t forget to leave a cloth or scarf outside to be blessed by the saint as she passes. Known as a ‘Bratog Bride’ in Irish folklore, this special garment can then be used as a cure for headaches or sore throats. https://twitter.com/irarchaeology

Today’s Imbolc celebrations

Neopagans of diverse traditions observe this holiday in a variety of ways, celebrating Brigid’s divine femininity. As forms of neopaganism can be quite different and have very different origins, these representations can vary considerably despite the shared name.

Some celebrate in a manner as close as possible to how the ancient Celts are believed to have observed the festival, as well as how these customs have been maintained in the living Celtic cultures. Other neopagans observe the holiday with rituals taken from numerous other unrelated sources, Celtic cultures being only one of the sources used.

So as our daylight hours increase and the blossoms and bulbs flower, it is tempting to feel the sap rising within myself and plant vegetable seedlings out. I have lived here too many years to fall for this, and know we can often have our worst winter weather in the next 6 weeks. It has been a dry July and I do hope for more rain, yet it will most likely be torrential. Ahhh that is life in the Southern most Council district of Australia!

Happy Lughnasadh/Lammas to all in the Northern Hemisphere. Thank you for all the wonderful spring and summer posts I have been seeing. May you be blessed.

So Happy Imbloc. blessings Tazzie