Saint Brigid’s Day Blessing of the Cross
Lá ’Le Bríde – Beannú na gCroiseanna
On Thursday 1 February, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Brigid, Abbess and Secondary Patron of Ireland. Saint Brigid is renowned for her hospitality, almsgiving and care of the sick. See below resources for a Blessing of the Cross in both Irish and English. Click here to download or print a PDF of these resources.
During Mass after the Liturgy of the Word
‘Anois teacht an Earraigh, beidh an lá ag dul chun síneadh …’
New life, new light in nature – it is appropriate that Brigid’s feast be at this time of year, she who was so close to nature and to God’s creatures.
We celebrate her festival by making St Brigid’s crosses from the green of nature, having them blessed and hung as a sign of and prayer for her protection.
We celebrate with prayer and feasting beginning on this eve. For the Celts, the night came before the day, so St Brigid’s feast started at sunset the previous evening. We made the crosses, we have apple cake, bárín breac, butter freshly churned.
Cake, or bread and butter, was left out for Brigid herself, for it was believed that she travelled around that evening, blessing the people and the livestock. A special sheaf, too, was left out as a treat for the family cow.
Blessing
Father of all creation and Lord of light, you have given us life and entrusted your creation to us to use and to care for it. We ask you to bless these crosses made of green rushes in memory of holy Brigid, who used such a cross to recall and to teach of your Son’s life, death and resurrection.
May these crosses be a sign of our sharing in the Paschal Mystery of your Son and a sign of protection of our lives, our land and its creatures during the coming year, and always; Through Brigid’s intercession, we ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
The crosses are sprinkled with holy water May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be on this cross, on the place where it hangs and on everyone who looks at it. Amen.
To the people: Are you resolved, with God’s assistance, to obey his laws and those of his Church, and to lead blameless lives, like the great St Brigid? All: We are.
Celebrant: Take the cross with which the great St Brigid fought against her enemies – the world, the flesh and the devil – and remember to bear the crosses of this life with true Christian fortitude.
Remember the many victories gained by Brigid under its protecting influence and bravely follow her example.
Prayer over the people before the dismissal at the end of Mass
Love to thee, O Lord. Glory and thanksgiving for this Eucharist and every meal which you have ever given us! O Redeemer who has given us life, grant us eternal life in heaven! May we be seven times better off at the end of the year in the greatest graces and smallest sins! Give health of soul and body in people, and their cattle safe from accident, from the year’s hardship, from fever and diseases. If the eternal Father sees anyone among us here present in doubt, may he counsel and guide them for our good, so that our souls may attain eternal glory; that he may keep the temptations of the devil and the world from our hearts and our minds, and keep us in a state of grace so that our souls may attain eternal glory. Amen.
Irish Language version of the Blessing
San Aifreann, i ndiadg Liotúirge an Bhriathair
‘Anois teacht an Earraigh, beidh an lá ag dul chun síneadh …’
Saol nua, solas an Earraigh sa nádúr – is cuí la ‘le Bhríde ag an am seo den bhliain.
Bhí gaol ag Bríd leis an dúlra, idir dhaoine, ainmhithe agus planndaí. Beannaitear croiseanna inniu agus muid ag ceiliúradh lá ‘le Bríde – croiseanna Bríde, deanta as glasra an nádúir.
Beannófar iad anois agus crocfar in aired iad mar chomhartha, nó mar phaidir ag iarraidh coimirce Bhríde.
Ceiliúraimid and Fhéile seo le nósanna speisiálta, le fleá agusle féasta in onóir do Bhríde Bheannaithe. Tosaíodh oíche aréir – mar i gcultúir na gCeilteach thosaigh an lá le dul faoi na gréine an tráthnóna roimhe. Tosaíodh le déanamh na gcoiseanna seo.
Oíche ‘le Bríde, bíonn rudaí deasa le hithe againn – toitín úll, báirín breac, im úr. Is gnáthach císte, nó arán agus im (úr) a fhágáil amach do Bhríd í féin, mar gabhann sí thart an oíche sin ag beannúidir dhaoine agus ainmhithe. Fágtar punann speisiálta (coirce) amach mar chineáltas don bhó.
Beannacht
A Athair na nDúl, a Thiarna an tsolais, is tú a thug beatha dúinn agus a bhronn an chruinne mhór orainn lena úsáid agus lena chaomhnú.
Iarriamid ort do bheannacht a bhronnadh ar na croiseanna seo a rinneadh in onóir do Bhríd naofa. Bhain sise úsáid as a leithéid seo de chrois mar chuimhniú ar pháis, ar bháis, agus ar aiséirí do Mhic agus í a múineadh sin do mhuintir a linne.
Go raibh na croiseanna seo mar thuar ar ár bpáirteachas i rúndiamhar Cásca do Mhic agus, trí eadarghuí Bhríde, mar chomhartha ar do choimirce dár mbeatha, dár gcuid talaimh agus dá bhfuil ann de dhúile beo, i gcaitheamh na bliana seo agus i gcónai.Tré Chriost ár dTiarna. Amen.
Croitheann an Sagart uisce coiscrithe ar na croiseanna
Go dtaga beannacht Dé, Athar, Mhic agus Spioraid Naoimh, anuas ar na croiseanna seo, ar an áit ina mbeidh siad ar crocadh agus ar ghach éinne a fhéachann orthu. Amen.
Leis na daoine: An bhfuil sé beartaithe agaibh, le cuidiú Dé, bheith umhal dá dhlí agus do dhlí na heaglaise, agus bhur saol a chaitheamh go hionraic, mar a rinne Bríd bheannaithe? Pobal: Tá.
Sagart: Tóg an chrois lenar throid Bríd naofa in aghaidh a naimhde – an saol, an cholainn agus an diabhal – agus cuimhnigh ar chroiseanna na beatha a iompar le neart fíor-Chriostaí. Cuimhnigh ar na buanna go léir a bhí ag Bríd faoina tionnchur chosantúil agus bí cróga agus lean a heisiomlarsan.
Urnai os cionn na ndaoine
Díograis duit, a Thiarna. Glóir, altú agus buíochas duit ar son an Aifrinn (na hEocairiste) seo agus ar son gach coda a thug tú ariamh dúinn.
A Shlánaitheoir a thug a bheatha dúinn, go dtuga tú an bheatha siorraí ins na Flaithis dúinn!
Gura seacht fearr i gcionn na bliana a bhéas muid, ins na grásta is mó agus ins na peacaí is lú!
Sláinte anama is coirp sna daoine. Go raibh a n-eallach slán ar thubaiste, ar sheirbhís na bliana, ar shiabhras nó ar aicideacha, agus go speisialta ná raibh aon rud inár mbealach a choinneodh an ghlóir shíorraí de dhola ar ár n-anamacha.
Má fheiceann an tAthair Síorraí aon duine againn anseo i láthair idir dhá chomhairle, go gcuire sé i gcomhairle agus i gcasán ár leasa sinn fa choinne ár n-anamacha chun na glóire siorraí, le cathaithe an Diabhail agus an tSaoil shalagh ghránna a choinneáil ar stáid na grásta fa choinne ár n-anam chun na glóire siorrai. Amen.
Some of this material comes from The Year in Ireland by Kevin Danaher. Blessing approved by the National Centre for Liturgy.
Sr Máiréad Ní Fhearáin
Armagh Diocese