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It's said St. Brigid passed away on February 1, 523 CE. On this day, Irish people celebrate her and the older Celtic festival of Imbolc.

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The female patron saint of Ireland, St. Brigid is honored on February 1 each year. Historically, the feast predates Christianity, when in the Celtic calendar the 'quarter days' were celebrated. This time of year marked the beginning of the return to more light, and, with it, greater hope. Halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, the ancient festival of Imbolc (later the feast of St. Brigid) was celebrated.

Intrigued? Click on the following gallery to learn more about the ancient origins of this saint's feast day.

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Brigid is said to walk the earth on Imbolc eve. Before going to bed, each member of the household may leave a piece of clothing or strip of cloth outside for Brigid to bless.

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In 2023, the Irish government decided to add a new public holiday to the national calendar. Perhaps due to her popularity and lore, Brigid's feast day was chosen.

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In places such as Marsden, in England, a fire festival sometimes take place to mark the passing of Imbolc: a modern take on the ancient festival.

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Brigid was born in about 450 CE. Her father was a chieftain, her mother a slave. Her birth came almost 20 years after St. Patrick is credited for bringing Christianity to Ireland.

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She's also said to have founded a church in what is present-day Kildare, made from the wood of oak trees. Under Brigid, Kildare housed the treasures of kings and the fugitives of Ireland. Today, the cathedral in the town is named after her.

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The most famous story tells of how as a chieftain lay dying next to a river, Brigid fashioned a cross out of some rushes that were growing alongside it.

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In old tradition and mythology, Imbolc was celebrated around the beginning of February. Imbolc literally means "in the belly," and refers to the pregnancy of ewes at this time of year.

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As the man lay dying, he was baptized. As Brigid explained the cross to him, she was able to bring him some comfort in his last moments.

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Today, you can celebrate Imbolc or St. Brigid with offerings, feasts, spring cleaning, and sowing seeds—whether literally, or figuratively!

Sources: (Ireland.com) (National Museum of Ireland) (IrishCentral) (Atlas Obscura) (Britannica)

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St. Brigid is associated with the snowdrop, which appears in nature around her feast day of February 1. The snowdrops, like Brigid, symbolize purification, renewal, and inspiration.

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St. Brigid's cross is associated with the patron saint. There are several stories surrounding how the cross came into existence.

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There are numerous places in Ireland where you can find running water wells dedicated to St. Brigid. Numbering around 3,000, their waters are said to have healing powers. One of the most impressive is near Liscannor, Co. Clare.

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Rush crosses are made in her honor, to be hung on the door or displayed inside. They serve to mark the passing of the day and to bless the home.

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Lambs are born in Ireland between February and April, and Imbolc marks the beginning of what's referred to as "lambing season."

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Imbolc was a celebration of fertility, the arrival of warmer weather, and new growth. It marked a time when new life began to emerge after the depths of winter.

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Irish feast days were always celebrated on the eve of the day itself. This was because the eve of a feast day was considered a very liminal time, when the veil was thin.

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Imbolc was one of the 'quarter days' celebrated in Ireland, marking a transition from one season to the next. Imbolc (February 1) signaled the beginning of spring; Bealtaine (May 1) was the start of summer; Lúnasa (August 1) brought in the harvest season; and Samhain (November 1) was the beginning of the dark season.

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In other words, it was a time when the Otherworld was very close. Appeals for protection and blessing were extra effective, being more likely to be heard.

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Leftover materials from making the crosses were sprinkled into the bedding of livestock in the shed, while the previous year's crosses might be burned and the ashes dispersed on the land.

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St. Brigid's cross is an enduring symbol of Ireland, alongside the shamrock and the harp, and can trace its roots back to the earliest Irish mythology.

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For newlyweds moving into a new home, it was common to give the gift of a St. Brigid's cross to wish the couple well with starting a family.

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Many of Brigid's miracles involved animals: curing them, rescuing them, and frequently saving them from nasty humans.

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Brigid is said to have carried out 46 miracles. Her most famous? On one occasion she somehow managed to provide enough beer from one keg to supply 18 different churches.

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As a baby, it's said she refused to drink anything but the milk of a sacred cow. Legend says she grew up to stroll the countryside, milking cattle, feeding the hungry, and tending to the sick.

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Even after her feast day, crosses remain hung in the home for blessing and protection. Many families placed the cross in the under-thatch of the house. You could guess how many years a family lived in the home by how many crosses were to be found there.

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In Faughart, Co. Louth, a stone beehive hut encloses the well, and there is a nearby shrine with ancient stone stations believed to have healing powers.

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Bríg was a goddess of pre-Christian Ireland. She appears in Irish mythology as a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and is associated with wisdom, poetry, healing, protection, smithing, and domesticated animals. Saint Brigid shares many qualities and her feast day with this ancient Celtic goddess.

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In ancient times, a sacred fire to Brigid was kept burning in Kildare, where priestesses gathered to invoke her. In later years, Brigid was honored with feasts, and bonfires took place.