Brigid of Ireland

Saint Brigid of Ireland

Also known as
• Bride
• Bride of the Isles
• Bridget of Ireland
 Bridget
• Brigid of Kildare
• Brigit
• Ffraid
• Mary of the Gael

memorial
• 1 February

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Today is the feast of one of the big three Irish Saints, Patrick, Columba and Brigid.

Our saint today was the product of a Pagan Scottish king having relations with a Christian Slave. Brigid’s mother was supposedly baptized by St Patrick himself. Who knows, beer was already invented by this time so first hand historical accounts from Ireland, are questionable. Just before Brigid’s birth, the Pagan King sold her mother to a wealthy Druid landowner. Brigid remained with her mother, even though she was not part of the deal, till she was old enough to serve her legal owner; her father. You see the sale of mom did not include the “set” so to speak. So when she was old enough she was sent back to her father the King as a slave.

Brigid was a sensitive, high spirited child who cared for everyone. She could not bear to see anyone hungry or cold, and to help them, often gave away things that were her owners/father’s. Her father tried to sell her off because of this. Can you possibly imagine a father selling his daughter into slavery over his stuff?

While haggling over her price with a prospective buyer, Bridgid gave a treasured sword of her father’s to a leper. Her father was furious and was about to wail the tar out of her when the buyer a King, and a Christian, forbade the trouncing saying “Her merit before God is greater than ours”. This domestic problem was solved by giving Brigid her freedom.

With her new freedom Brigid went back to her mother and took charge of the bookkeeping chores her mother did for HER master. Brigid often gave away the produce. But the dairy prospered under her (hence her patronage of milk maids, dairy workers, cattle, etc.). With this success the Druid owner freed Brigid’s mother.

Brigid returned to her father, who arranged a marriage for her with a young bard. She refused, and to keep her virginity, went to her Bishop, and took her first vows. Legend says that she prayed that her beauty be taken from her so no one would seek her hand in marriage; her prayer was granted, she turned into what must have looked like a cousin of mine; this naturally drove all suitors away. After she took her vows to enter the religious life and become a bride of Christ, her natural beauty returned. Since it was Saint Patrick who administered the taking of vows, I am certain more than a few rounds of beer were included in the celebration afterwards; this can make anyone look better frankly.

Her father, on his deathbed, was very restless and emotional over the impending meeting with his maker, so his servants summoned Brigid to his beside in the hope that the saintly woman may calm his restless spirit. Brigid is said to have sat by his bed, consoling and calming him and it is here that she picked up the rushes from the floor and began weaving them into the distinctive St Brigid's cross pattern. As she weaved, she explained the meaning of the cross to her sick father and it is thought her calming words brought peace to his soul, and that he was so enamored by her words that the old Chieftain requested to be baptized as a Christian just before his passing.

Another tale says that when Saint Patrick heard her final vows, he mistakenly used the form for ordaining priests. When told of it he replied, “So be it, my son, she is destined for great things.”

She started convents all over Ireland and traveled extensively. One of the Convents she started installed a bell that allegedly lasted 1000 years. These led to her patronage of those who assist travelers like boatmen and those who work with metal like blacksmiths.

She was buried locally but in 878 her relics were moved and re-buried with Saint Patrick and Saint Columba. This grave was eventually forgotten and re-discovered on 9 June 1185, at that time they took her skull and brought it to Portugal to a Church in Lisbon run by Jesuits.

As a sinister but interesting aside, tonight is the eve of Candlemas, a Satanic festival.   Remember the prayer to Saint Michael tonight.  

Born
• 453 County Louth, Ireland

Died
• 1 February 523 at Kildare, Ireland of natural causes

Patronage
• babies
• blacksmiths
• boatmen
• cattle
• chicken farmers
• children whose parents are not married
• dairymaids
• dairy workers
• fugitives
• infants
• Ireland
• mariners
• midwives
• milk maids
• newborn babies
• nuns
• poets
• poultry farmers
• poultry raisers
• printing presses
• sailors
• scholars
• travelers
• watermen

Representation

• abbess, usually holding a lamp or candle, often with a cow nearby
• abbess with her hand on an altar