St. Patrick understood the powerful hold of the pagan beliefs of the Irish people. He, therefore, realized that he could not annihilate those ideas from the hearts and psyche of this unique culture. Instead, he devised a system that integrated the concepts of Christianity with the already existing beliefs. The result was a distinctive form of Catholicism that remains a very exclusive entity to this day.

St. Brigid’s Well, Co. Kildare, Erin Brierly, September 5, 2007

Many of the pagan deities were integrated with Catholic saints. For example, Brighhid (old Irish spelling), the primary Mother Goddess of Ireland, was incorporated into the Christian St. Brigid, who along with St. Patrick is one of the patron saints of Ireland. Today in Ireland there are still many springs and wells named after Brigid. Water is believed to be a portal to the Otherworld and is also thought to be a source of wisdom and healing. Offerings of coins are thrown into the wells in the hopes of being granted a reward from St. Brigid. This is the forerunner of the modern custom of tossing a penny into a fountain while making a wish. (1)

Along with the evolution of these customs to align themselves with Christianity, came the reinvention of the Celtic artwork. The art of this period included chalices, shrines, crosses and most notably illuminated manuscripts. At this time, the monastic system became the center of the Celtic art world. The monks were among the most skilled calligraphers in Europe and developed masterworks of Insular illumination. (2) The manuscript that depicts the pinnacle of this golden age of Celtic art is undoubtedly the Book of Kells.

(1). James Bonwick, Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions, Barnes and Noble, Inc., USA, 1986, pages 238-244.

(2). Insular Illumination – a medieval script system used in Ireland and Britain (Latin: insula, “island”).