Learn to Weave a St. Brigid's Cross

Name: Learn to Weave a St. Brigid's Cross
Start: 2025-01-29T19:00:00-05:00
Location: 623 Columbia St., Utica, NY, United States, New York 13502

Schedule

Wed, 29 Jan, 2025 at 07:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

623 Columbia St., Utica, NY, United States, New York 13502 | Utica, NY

Join us at The H.A.R.P. Museum at the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. as we celebrate Ireland's St. Brigid's feast day by learning to weave the cross named in her honor. Materials from Ireland and instructions included.

Brigid's cross or Brigit's cross is a small cross usually woven from rushes. Typically it has four arms tied at the ends and a woven square in the middle.

Brigid's crosses are associated with Brigid of Kildare, one of the patron saints of Ireland. The crosses are traditionally made in Ireland on St Brigid's feast day, 1 February, which was formerly celebrated as a pagan festival (Imbolc) marking the beginning of spring. Many rituals are associated with the making of the crosses. Traditionally they were set over doorways and windows to protect the home from any kind of harm.

In Christianity, St Brigid and her cross are linked together by a story about her weaving this form of cross at the death bed of either her father, a pagan lord, who upon hearing what the cross meant, asked to be baptised.

You can attend this presentation at the H.A.R.P. Museum located on the second floor of the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley, 623 Columbia St, Utica. All are welcome to attend this program and the museum is wheelchair accessible. The $10 fee includes materials and instructions for you to weave a cross to take home with you. Children under 16 are free when accompanied by an adult, please indicate in the Eventbrite comments how many children will be attending with you, so we have enough materials for everyone.