Imbolc Celebrations

Mélanie Bruniaux

3 days ago3 min read

Imbolc traditionally fell on February 1st, halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, but the celebration began the day before at sunset. According to the thinking of this ancient people, earthly actions had the power to influence the future positively or negatively. Even the proper functioning of the cycle of nature could be hindered or favored by human and divine action. It was the duty of humans to help the Light return by lighting sacred bonfires.

On this date also began preparations for spring sowing and the birth of lambs. It was customary to visit sacred wells to invigorate one's health, leaving offerings such as food or coins. After walking around the well in prayer, one was supposed to collect the water and use it to bless one's home, fields, livestock, and even loved ones. Christianity adapted the rites of Imbolc by celebrating Candlemas on February 2nd. Indeed, candles, fire and light are also at the center of this Christian holiday, a day dedicated to the blessing of all the candles of the church to prepare them for the new liturgical year. It commemorates the presentation of Jesus in the temple and the purification of the Virgin Mary after the birth of Christ (according to ancient Jewish and Christian culture, a woman was considered "impure" for 40 days after the birth of a male child).

For the ancient Celts, Imbolc was traditionally the ideal time for weather divination, thanks to which to predict the arrival of spring. The most famous divinatory practice was linked to the observation of snakes and badgers: if during Imbolc they came out of their dens, a warm spring was on the horizon. Divination related to animal behavior was something very common for ancient peoples, which still persists in our daily lives (Groundhog Day in the USA, Blackbird Day in Italy, ...) In the Alps, the paws of the Candlemas bear were observed. It was said that on the night of February 1st to 2nd, bears woke up from hibernation and, depending on what they saw in the sky, they could predict when spring would arrive. If there was a new moon, the bears would come out of hibernation and spring would arrive early. But if it was a full moon night, the animals would have returned to their dens and the winter would be longer. In Scotland and Ireland, reference is made to the figure of the Cailleach, the "divine witch". If the sun shone during Imbolc, it meant that the Cailleach had brought good weather so that wood could be collected for a long winter. If bad weather struck Imbolc, it was a good thing, because the witch, predicting a short winter, did not need wood to keep warm any longer.Imbolc is the first step towards spring. It is accompanied by the blossoming of snowdrops and the birth of new lambs on the first full moon of February. The word "I mbolc" is said to mean "in the belly", that is, in the belly of the sheep.

During Imbolc, the Celtic goddess Brigit (or Brighid) was celebrated, patron saint of blacksmiths, poets and healers. Brigit is the deity of Light and the triple fire. Her very name derives from the Celtic word "breo", which means "fire". To attract her blessing and light, Irish farmers tied colorful ribbons to the branches of their fruit trees to protect them and cure them of potential diseases. This festival was closely linked to women and femininity, in fact a procession was organized during which the effigy of the goddess was carried by the women of the village to bless the houses and families. This "doll" was called "Brideóg" and was made of rushes, straw, flowers, cloth and shells. When it reached the northern lands, Christianity not only absorbed the figure of the goddess Brigit, but transformed her into one of its saints. One of its typical symbols is the spiral cross, made of reeds woven into a square cross with four arms.