St. Brigid of Ireland

St. Brigid of Ireland
Saint	St. Brigid of Ireland
Stage	Saint
Birthdate	c. 451
Birthplace	Faughart, near Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland
Birth Coordinates	[{"name":54.0355,"title":null,"lat":54.0355,"lon":-6.3871,"otherValues":[]}]
Deathdate	c. 525
Death Place	Kildare, Ireland
Death Coordinates	[{"name":53.1587,"title":null,"lat":53.1587,"lon":-6.9095,"otherValues":[]}]
Cause of Death	Natural causes
Notable Location 1	Kildare Abbey, Kildare, Ireland
Notable Location 1 Coordinates	[{"name":53.1588,"title":null,"lat":53.1588,"lon":-6.9094,"otherValues":[]}]
Notable Location 2	Clara, County Offaly, Ireland
Notable Location 2 Coordinates	[{"name":53.3379,"title":null,"lat":53.3379,"lon":-7.5108,"otherValues":[]}]
Notable Location 3
Notable Location 3 Coordinates
Notable Location 4
Notable Location 4 Coordinates
Notable Location 5
Notable Location 5 Coordinates
Beatification Date
Beatified by
Beatification Location
Canonized	Yes
Canonization Date	Not formally canonized by modern standards; recognized since the early Church
Canonized by
Canonization Location
Miracle 1	Her cloak miraculously expanded to cover land for her monastery
Miracle 2	Turning water into beer for the poor
Miracle 3	Restoring a blind nun's sight
Feast Day	February 1
Profession	Nun, Abbess
Religious Affiliation
Patronage	Ireland, dairymaids, cattle, midwives, Irish nuns, newborn babies, poets, scholars, blacksmiths, and poultry farmers
Attributes	Crosier, lamp, flame, cow, and Saint Brigid's cross
Primary Shrine	St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare, Ireland
Additional Veneration	Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church

St. Brigid of Ireland, known as the "Mary of the Gael," was born around 451 to a pagan chieftain and a Christian slave. She is celebrated for her profound faith, charity, and the establishment of one of Ireland's earliest monastic foundations at Kildare. Her life was marked by numerous miracles, including the expansion of her cloak to secure land for her monastery, and she is revered not only as a saint but also as a symbol of Ireland's Christian heritage.

Biography

Birth

St. Brigid was born around 451 in Faughart, near Dundalk, in what is now County Louth, Ireland.

Early Life

Raised in a society divided between Christianity and paganism, Brigid's early life was marked by her generosity and piety, traits she inherited from her Christian mother, Brocca.

Occupation

Before her religious vocation, Brigid was involved in domestic work, often giving away her family's provisions to the needy.

Vocation

Brigid became a nun and founded the famous double monastery at Kildare, which housed both monks and nuns. She was instrumental in spreading Christianity in Ireland and establishing a center for learning and art.

Death

She died around 525 in Kildare of natural causes.

Significant events

• Founded Kildare Abbey in approximately 470, which became a center for religion, learning, and art.
• Established a school of art, including metalwork and illumination.
• Known for her miracles, including the miracle of the cloak, which secured land for her monastery.

Death

St. Brigid of Ireland died peacefully in Kildare, surrounded by her community.

Canonization

Servant of God

St. Brigid was not formally recognized as a Servant of God through modern canonization processes since she lived before such procedures were established.

Venerable

Not applicable; recognized as a saint by tradition.

Beatification

Not formally beatified; recognized as a saint by the early Church.

Canonization

Canonized by tradition rather than formal decree, as she predates the modern canonization process.

Miracles

Miracle for beatification

Not applicable for formal beatification, but her miracles, like the cloak expanding to cover land, are well-documented in hagiography.

Miracle for canonization

Not applicable; her sainthood is based on tradition and early Church recognition.

Other notable miracles

- Turning water into beer for the poor. - Healing miracles, including restoring sight to a blind nun.

Patronage

St. Brigid is the patron saint of Ireland, dairymaids, cattle, midwives, Irish nuns, newborn babies, poets, scholars, blacksmiths, and poultry farmers.

Feast day

February 1st is St. Brigid's Feast Day, coinciding with the traditional festival of Imbolc, marking the beginning of spring.

Veneration

St. Brigid is venerated through various practices in Ireland, including the creation of St. Brigid's crosses made from reeds. Her relics are primarily kept in Kildare and also in Portugal, where part of her skull is preserved. She is celebrated for her compassion and is a central figure in Irish folklore and Christianity.

Books

Written about the saint

• No specific modern books were listed in the provided information, but there are numerous hagiographies and legends.

Written by the saint

• St. Brigid did not write any known works.

External links

• Catholic Online article on St. Brigid
• Britannica's biography on St. Brigid
• New Advent's Catholic Encyclopedia entry on St. Brigid