Pause for Peace on St Brigid's Day, 1 February

Jan 21st, 2023

Source: Brigidine Sisters in Kildare

Into Kildare, the Tourism Board for County Kildare in Ireland and Solas Bhríde Spirituality Centre & Hermitages have jointly launched a global 'Pause for Peace' movement. Pause for Peace will see the residents of County Kildare calling on people all around the world to stop for a minute's silence at 12.00 noon (local time) on St Brigid's day, 1 February 2023.

Solas Bhride is a Christian Spirituality centre with a focus on Saint Brigid of Kildare. The vision of the centre is to unfold the legacy of Saint Brigid and its relevance for our world today. The centre welcomes pilgrims and visitors from all over the world - people of all faiths and none. Sr Rita Minehan of Solas Bhríde said, "This movement for a Pause for Peace sets the scene for marking the new national holiday in honour of Saint Brigid on 6 February. It reflects a spiritual underpinning to the holiday and is consonant with the value of peace which Brigid stood for in her time." It is the first public holiday named for a woman and will take place each year on the first Monday in February.

She went on the say, "By pausing for peace, we send out a message that we actively oppose warfare and the proliferation of arms, which wreak havoc on human beings as well as on the natural world. This movement aims to awaken and build a spirit of global solidarity in our search for peace. We are delighted to have three ambassadors for Pause for Peace; they are Ewan Morris, Lily Tyrrell Kenny, Ben Ryan, senior students from Kildare Town Community School.

Brigidines want the day to reflect a spiritual under-pinning of the holiday, consonant with the value of peace that Saint Brigid stood for in fifth century Ireland. Peace is so needed in our world today. Brigid was renowned as a peace maker, who crossed the divides of her day, settled conflicts, and brought together those with different backgrounds and perspectives.

Already the news has started to spread around the world about the Pause for Peace campaign through the Irish diaspora living abroad, through Tourism Ireland and through the international Solas Bhride network. New Zealand will be first to start the Pause for Peace movement when they will have a minute's silence for peace at 12.00 noon, their time on Saint Brigid's Day, 1 February. From New Zealand to New York from Brisbane to Barcelona a minute's silence for peace will take place all around the globe and will form part of the rolling Pause for Peace movement. We invite you to participate in this call for a Pause for Peace.

2024 marks the 1500th anniversary of the death of St. Brigid. She is important from a cultural, religious, spiritual and historical point of view.

About St. Brigid

Saint Brigid is one of the three Patron saints of Ireland alongside St. Patrick and St. Colmcille/Columba. She established a double monastery for women and men in Kildare towards the end of the 5th century. Saint Brigid was renowned as a peacemaker and showed extraordinary leadership in early Irish church and society.

One of the most popular stories associated with her is that of her giving away her father's precious jewelled sword to a poor person so that it could be bartered for food to feed his family. This incident recalls the scripture text from the prophet Isaiah urging the people, "to beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks". She was compassionate, a protector of the natural world and a formidable force for justice whose light shines every more brightly in our world today.

Information at:

www.solasbhride.ie and www.facebook.com/solasbhridecentre&hermitagesclg