Spring is coming soon...

Remembering Bríd on St. Brigid's Day ++ Ag cuimhniú ar Bhríd ar Lá Féile Bhríde (Photo credit: Liamfm .)

On Thursday, Feb. 2, the Interfaith Guild of Chaplains (IGC) held a small, beautiful ceremony to mark the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, variously known as Imbolc, Candlemas, Luciad, St. Brigid's Day, Setsubun, and Greek festival of Demeter and Persephone.

The underlying theme of bringing light into the darkest moment and place to usher the world into a new era of light is common among most of these observances across cultures.

The flagpole base at the former Washington High School became a makeshift altar for this event, and the sky was turning from a beautiful pink sunset into a star- and moon-lit night sky.  We also had a symbolic "exorcism" using the traditional Japanese setsubun custom of throwing beans to chase out the evil.

The event concluded with a small procession from the Washington High to the Occupy headquarters, the Che Room.

Thanks Kathryn and Amanda for putting this together!