St. Brigid of Ireland was born the beautiful daughter of a powerful Irish Chieftain. St. Bridget or also spelled Brigid became a nun. She renounced her beauty, praying to become ugly, so her many suitors would be turned away and was completely devoted to relieving the misery and hardship of the poor. The traditional woven cross is said to have originated during a visit St. Bridget made to a dying Chieftain in which she wove it from rushes on the floor to show the significance of Christian faith. The woven rush cross has become synonymous with St. Bridget. St. Brigid of Kildare is the Patron Saint of Ireland, new born babies and of children with unmarried parents.
“Did you know that couples in Ireland could legally marry on St. Brigid’s Day, February 1st, in County Meath. As recently as the 1920s, they just had to walk toward each other. If the marriage didn’t work out, they could divorce by walking away from each other at the same spot on St. Bridid’s Day the following year.”
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