Treasure Chest

I have a humble floor altar where I do my formal Brigit connecting—lighting my shift candle, making prayer requests, making offerings. Keeping it simple is important to me; I’ll leave it at that for now.

This morning I was vacuuming and dusting and was paying some attention to the altar, when I realised I didn’t remember what I kept in that wooden, book-shaped box I use as the base for the bell, water, and candle. So I opened it.

Empty.

I had emptied out the Buddhist texts when I put it there, and forgotten it.

It seemed a good idea to put something in it now, sitting at the Brídeóg's feet and surrounded by the tools of honouring her. But what?

Lá na brídeoige

Here's a name for St. Brigit's Day that I hadn't heard before: Lá na brídeoige, from a word I do know, brídeog, or Biddy. This effigy of the saint was traditionally, and in some places still is, carried on the eve of her feast from house to house to ensure her blessing for the year.

These two photographs are taken from the Doolin 2 Arran Ferries page on Saint Brigit, showing a brídeog on Inis Oirr in the Aran Islands, before and after receiving her communion dress and veil.

Images: 'Brídeog' from St. Brigid at the Cliffs of Moher, DOOLIN2ARAN FERRIES.
Source : Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla: brídeog.