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| Brigid's Cross courtesy fisheaters.com |
Friday,
01 February 2013
St.
Bridgid of Ireland (+ 523)
SAINT
BRIDGID
Abbess,
and Patroness of Ireland
(c. 453-523)
Next to the glorious St. Patrick, St. Bridgid, whom we may consider his
spiritual daughter in Christ, has ever been held in singular veneration in
Ireland. She was born about the year 453, at Fochard in Ulster. During her
infancy, her pious father saw in a vision men clothed in white garments
pouring a sacred unguent on her head, thus prefiguring her future sanctity.
While yet very young, Bridgid consecrated her life to God, bestowed
everything at her disposal on the poor, and was the edification of all who
knew her. She was very beautiful, and fearing that efforts might be made to
induce her to break the vow by which she had bound herself to God, and to
bestow her hand on one of her many suitors, she prayed that she might become
ugly and deformed. Her prayer was heard, for her eye became swollen, and her
whole countenance so changed that she was allowed to follow her vocation in
peace, and marriage with her was no more thought of. When about twenty years
old, our Saint made known to St. Mel, the nephew and disciple of St. Patrick,
her intention to live only to Jesus Christ, and he consented to receive her
sacred vows. On the appointed day the solemn ceremony of her profession was
performed after the manner introduced by St. Patrick, the bishop offering up
many prayers, and investing Bridgid with a snow-white habit, and a cloak of
the same colour. While she bowed her head on this occasion to receive the
veil, a miracle of a singularly striking and impressive nature occurred: that
part of the wooden platform adjoining the altar on which she knelt recovered
its original vitality, and put on all its former verdure, retaining it for a
long time after. At the same moment Bridgid's eye was healed, and she became
as beautiful and as lovely as ever.
......................
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Evening Prayer 2.1.10, St. Brigid (or Bride) of Ireland, c. 523
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| St. Bride's, London, designed by Christopher Wren |
February 1, 2010 by Josh
From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.Malachi 1:11
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