Celts to the Crèche
A Celtic Advent Devotional
November 15-December 24
A Forty Day Advent Pilgrimage to the Crèche in Bethlehem with Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Saints
Mary with Infant Jesus from the Book of Kells. Trinity College, Dublin
Day One 11/15 St. Aidan of Lindisfarne
Day Two 11/16 St. Hilda of Whitby
Day Three 11/17 St. Hereswith
Day Four 11/18 St. Columba of Iona
Day Five 11/19 St. Brigid of Kildare
Day Six 11/20 St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
Day Seven 11/21 Bishop Eadfrith of Lindisfarne
Day Eight 11/22 St. Columbanus
Day Nine 11/23 St. Winifred of Wales
Day Ten 11/24 St. Fursey
Day Eleven 11/25 St. Bertha of Kent
Day Twelve 11/26 St. John of Beverley
Day Thirteen 11/27 St. Ita of Ireland
Day Fourteen 11/28 A Band of Brothers: Cedd, Chad, Cynibil, Caelin
Day Fifteen 11/29 Abbess Ethelburga of Barking
Day Sixteen 11/3 John O’Donohue of Ireland
Day Seventeen 12/1 King Aldwulf
Day Eighteen 12/2 Pelagius
Day Nineteen 12/3 St. Bathilde of Chelles
Day Twenty 12/4 St. Brendan the Navigator
Day Twenty-One 12/5 Abbess Burgundofara of Faremoutiers
Day Twenty-Two 12/6 Abbesses Beatrice & Anna of Iona Nunnery
Day Twenty-Three 12/7 The Venerable Bede
Day Twenty-Four 12/8 Abbess Heiu of Tadcaster
Day Twenty-Five 12/9 St. Colman of Lindisfarne
Day Twenty-Six 12/10 St. Bega of Bees
Day Twenty-Seven 12/11 Abbess Aebbe of Coldingham
Day Twenty-Eight 12/12 St. Deiniol of Wales
Day Twenty-Nine 12/13 Abbess Ælfflæd of Whitby
Day Thirty 12/14 St. Ninian of Whithorn
Day Thirty-One 12/15 St. Non of Wales
Day Thirty-Two 12/16 Abbess Werburga of Chester
Day Thirty-Three 12/17 St. Frideswide, Abbess of Oxford
Day Thirty-Four 12/18 Benedict Biscop of Monkwearmouth & Jarrow
Day Thirty-Five 12/19 St. Canaire of Ireland
Day Thirty-Six 12/20 Theodechilde, Abbess of Jouarre
Day Thirty-Seven 12/21 St. Brendan of Birr, Muirchú, and Moneisen
Day Thirty-Eight 12/22 St. Gertrude of Nivelles
Day Thirty-Nine 12/23 St. Buriana of Cornwall
Day Forty 12/24 Dr. Michelle P. Brown’s Guest Post of St. Patrick of Ireland
Celtic Advent Pilgrimage Begins!
The early Celtic monks would get into their little leather boats called coracles, paddle out to the sea, pull their oars into the boat, and pray, “Spirit, blow me to my place of Resurrection.”
Wherever they landed, was to be the place chosen by the Spirit where they would live, share the Gospel, and experience their future Day of Resurrection at the end of their earthly life. In our sacred imagination, let us jump into our little coracle and ask the Spirit to blow us to places we never dreamed or imagined as we journey together with the Celts to the Crèche, where Christ is born anew in our lives this holy season.
A note as we begin this pilgrimage. Thank you so much for joining me on this Celts to the Crèche 40 days of Advent pilgrimage. I am passionate about the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon saints, so if there is too much information for you, just read the first short section, browse through the photos, and scroll down the page to the “Meditation.” You will still get a good sense of that saint’s life and work.
I first became acquainted with the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon saints with a surprise encounter with St. Hilda of Whitby when I was in the History of Christianity course in seminary. That glimpse behind the “thin veil” with this powerful, deeply spiritual, brilliant Abbess was transformative (to say the least!). I began an in-depth study of each of these Celtic and Anglo-Saxon saints and pilgrimaged to many of the places they lived, ministered, and worshipped. It is my hope and prayer as you read these daily devotionals throughout this Advent season, that one of these saints may also touch your life as Hilda did mine and become a soul friend on the other side of the thin veil. Of course, the primary reason this Advent pilgrimage devotional is provided is to daily allow our lives to be transformed into a crèche (manger) where Jesus the Christ is born anew.
Blow, Spirit, Blow
Leather Coracle. photo from boats depot.com
A Celtic Prayer for Pilgrimage
God be with us at each stop and each sea;
At each lying down and each rising up;
In the trough of the waves;
On the crest of the billows;
Each step of the journey we take.