St. Christopher Ladies Guild Woman of the Month
St. Brigid of Kildare
St. Brigid of Kildare, along with St. Patrick and St. Columba, is one of the most revered saints of Ireland. Known also as Mary of the Gael, Brigid was born in 453 near Dundalk, Ireland to an Irish chieftain and a slave within his court. During her childhood she was known for her compassion and concern for the poor. She frequently gave away her father’s possessions to those in need, including his treasured sword. Impatient with Brigid’s generosity, her father granted her freedom and permission to live with her mother who ran the kingdom’s dairy. Brigid was known for her hard work there and the dairy prospered. She gave away much of what the dairy produced. Though promised in marriage to a nobleman, Brigid refused and asked the local bishop for permission to devote her life to God. She went on to found the first Irish monastery in County Kildare, Ireland which became a center of Christian learning and evangelization in 470.
There are many stories and legends surrounding the life of St. Brigid. This is common amongst Christianity’s earliest saints. In the days before widespread literacy and the printing press, history and the faith were passed on around the hearth through stories, song, and poetry. Even then, the legends and the stories were not intended to be taken as fact, but rather to illustrate deeper truths. Thus, the stories of St. Brigid’s life highlight her compassion for the poor, deep respect for creation, industriousness in the home, and devotion to God and the spread of Christianity. As C.S. Lewis said: “Sometimes fairy stories may say best what’s to be said.”
One of the most beloved traditions associated with St. Brigid is that of her unique cross made of rushes or straw. It is said that an old pagan Chieftain lay on his deathbed and Brigid was summoned to comfort him. As she consoled him, Brigid picked up the rushes from the floor and weaved them into a cross while she explained its meaning. Her words brought great peace to the Chieftain and he asked to be baptized just before his death. This rush cross became St. Brigid’s emblem and much loved by the Irish. It is an Irish tradition to place St. Brigid’s cross inside the home above the door to ask for God’s safety and peace.
St. Brigid died in 525 and her relics are now buried with those of Saints Patrick and Columba. She is a patron saint of Ireland and of midwives, newborns, dairy workers, travelers, and brewers among others. As we enter Lent and celebrate the coming of spring, let us ask St. Brigid’s intercession that we may increase our faith, lovingly serve the poor, and deepen our respect for creation.
Sources consulted:
“Our Patroness: Brigidine Sisters.”brigidine.org.au
“St. Brigid of Kildare.”faith.nd.edu
