St. Brigid

Saint Brigid was born Brigit, and shares a name with a Celtic goddess from whom many legends and folk customs are associated. There is much debate over her birthparents, but it is widely believed her mother was Brocca, a Christian baptized by Saint Patrick, and her father was Dubthach, a Leinster chieftain. Brocca was a slave, therefore Brigid was born into slavery. When Dubthach's wife discovered Brocca was pregnant, she was sold to a Druid landowner. It is not clear if Brocca was unable to produce milk or was not present to care for Brigid, but legend states Brigid vomited any food the druid attempted to feed her, as he was impure, so a white cow with red ears sustained her instead.

Many stories of Brigid's purity followed her childhood. She was unable to keep from feeding the poor and healing them. One story says Brigid once gave her mother's entire store of butter, that was later replenished after Brigid prayed. When she was about ten-years-old, Brigid was returned to her father's home, as he was her legal master. Her charity did not end when she left her mother, and she donated his possessions to anyone who asked. Eventually, Dubthach became tired of her charitably nature and took her to the king of Leinster, with the intention of selling her. As he spoke to the king, Brigid gave his jeweled sword to a beggar so he could barter it for food for his family. When the king, who was a Christian, saw this, he recognized her heart and convinced Dubthach to grant her freedom by saying, "Her merit before God is greater than ours."

After being freed, Brigid returned to the Druid and her mother, who was in charge of the Druid's dairy. Brigid took over and often gave away milk, but the dairy prospered despite the charitable practice, and the Druid eventually freed Brocca. Brigid then returned to Dubthach, who had arranged for her to marry a bard. She refused and made a vow to always be chaste. Legend has it Brigid prayed that her beauty be taken so no one would want to marry her, and the prayer was granted. It was not until after she made her final vows that her beauty was restored.

Another tale says that when Saint Patrick heard her final vows, he accidentally used the form for ordaining priests. When the error was brought to his attention, he simply replied, "So be it, my son, she is destined for great things." Little is known about Saint Brigid's life after she entered the Church, but in 40 she founded a monastery in Kildare, called the Church of the Oak. It was built above a pagan shrine to the Celtic goddess Brigid, which was beneath a large oak tree.

Brigid and seven friends organized communal consecrated religious life for women in Ireland and she founded two monastic institutions, one for men and one for women. Brigid invited a hermit called Conleth to help her in Kildare as a spiritual pastor. Her biographer reported that Brigid chose Saint Conleth "to govern the church along with herself." She later founded a school of art that included metalwork and illumination, which Conleth led as well. It was at this school that the Book of Kildare, which the Gerald of Wales praised as "the work of angelic, and not human skill," was beautifully illuminated, but was lost three centuries ago. There is evidence that Brigid was a good friend of Saint Patrick's and that the Trias Thaumaturga claimed, "Between St. Patrick and Brigid, the pillars of the Irish people, there was so great a friendship of charity that they had but one heart and one mind. Through him and through her Christ performed many great works." Saint Brigid helped many people in her lifetime, but on February 1 525, she passed away of natural causes.

Liturgical Celebration

The feast of St. Brigid is celebrated on February 1st, during the winter season when the Church reflects on the themes of light and warmth. This feast is celebrated as a memorial in the Roman Catholic Church, recognizing Brigid's importance as the patron of Ireland and a model of Christian charity and monastic life. The feast falls during the coldest part of winter, making it an ideal time to remember Brigid's role as the "Keeper of the Hearth" and her association with warmth and light. The feast provides an opportunity to honor Brigid's memory and to reflect on how we can bring warmth and light to those around us during the cold winter months. It is also a time to pray for Ireland and for all those who work to preserve and promote Celtic Christian spirituality and culture.

Traditions and Customs

On the feast day of St. Brigid, many people participate in special prayers and devotions to honor her memory and seek her intercession. Churches, particularly those with Irish connections or Celtic Christian heritage, hold special Masses and services. Many people gather to pray for Ireland and for all those who work to preserve Celtic Christian traditions and culture. The day is also marked by prayers for those who are cold, hungry, or in need of shelter, asking for St. Brigid's intercession in helping them to find warmth and comfort. Many people also take time to reflect on their own role as "keepers of the hearth" in their families and communities, and to pray for the grace to bring warmth and light to those around them. The feast is also a time to reflect on how we can be more charitable and generous to those in need, following Brigid's example of selfless giving. Some people also light candles or fires in honor of Brigid's association with light and warmth.

Prayer and Devotion

The feast day is an excellent time to pray for the gift of charity and the ability to be a source of warmth and light to others. Many people make special petitions for Ireland and for all those who work to preserve Celtic Christian spirituality and culture, asking for St. Brigid's intercession in helping them to be faithful to their heritage. The day is also a time to reflect on the importance of hospitality and to pray for the grace to welcome others into our homes and hearts. St. Brigid's feast day encourages us to remember that we are all called to be "keepers of the hearth" in our own way, creating spaces of warmth, welcome, and spiritual nourishment for others. It is also a time to pray for the grace to be more charitable and generous to those in need, following Brigid's example of selfless giving. The feast reminds us that true holiness involves not just personal piety, but active love and service to others.