Is Saint Brigit's Cross really a Sun Wheel?

[Fodla32 3,692]

I was just looking at this image below, and it struck me that the cross here is probably not Christian at all, but a sun wheel. That point is made all the more by the four sun spirals in each of the corners.

 

 

 

 

[Fodla32 3,692]

If so, it is a very intereting design, as most sun wheels, like the Buddhist one shown below, have the movement shown in the flames. But, the Brigit cross shows the movement in the very core of the sun.

 

 

[Lugh Ildánach 2,352]

Absolutely its a sun wheel, or other similar pagan symbol and pre-dates Christianity. Do the Catholics even pretend that its supposed to be a crucifex? My mum (an ardent anti-Catholic) knows the symbol as a "corn dolly", and was taught how to make them by her even stauncher Protestant mother.

 

corn dolly - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_dolly

[Fodla32 3,692]

I never knew that, a chara. Never heard of the corn dolly. Literally, when I looked at that picture today was the first time I connected it with the sun dial. It was drummed into my Catholic head that this was the Christian Cross - but the Irish were so poor that rushes was all they could afford to make it (we used to use rushes, not corn). What a travesty of a really great design and symbol.

[Fodla32 3,692]

[Fodla32 3,692]

I see that when people visit holy wells at Imbolg, they walk "sunwise" around the well.

[Guest IsMise]

_{http://www.obrien.ie/files/extracts/festivecooking-stbrigid.pdf}

 

By all accounts it was indeed taken over by the Christians.... {mmm Im wondering how the 10 year old is getting on arguing this very point as he makes his Bridgid's Cross today at school }

 

Sorry I can't copy the text into the post, but it makes very interesting reading and there are some yummy recipes at the end which Im sure some of you will try Spring Tonic Nettle Soup Anyone???

[Fodla32 3,692]

Nettles are very tasty if you boil them like cabbage. We used to eat them every summer.

[Lugh Ildánach 2,352]

Nettles are very tasty if you boil them like cabbage. We used to eat them every summer.

 

Make a lovely tea that is great for the circulation too!

[Guest IsMise]

Don't forget to add the cleavers to the nettle tea ;-)

 

Nettles are a very good source of Iron and particularly if you pick them before they begin to flower.

 

They are antioxidant thereby purifying the blood.