Saint Brigid of Ireland (also known as St Brigid of Kildare) was an early Christian nun in Ireland and an abbess over several monasteries. She is one of Ireland’s patron saints (Sts Patrick and Columba are the others).
Read the full St Brigid of Ireland novena on the novena page. You can also learn more about novenas here.
What is St Brigid of Ireland the patron saint of?
St Brigid is the patron saint of County Kildare, babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, brewers, cattle, chicken farmers, children whose parents are not married, children with abusive fathers, children born into abusive unions, dairymaids, dairy workers, Florida, fugitives, infants, Ireland, Leinster, mariners, midwives, milk maids, nuns, poets, poor, poultry farmers, poultry raisers, printing presses, sailors, scholars, travellers, and watermen.
Saint Brigid of Ireland (also known as St Brigid of Kildare) was an early Christian nun in Ireland and an abbess over several monasteries. She is one of Ireland’s patron saints (Sts Patrick and Columba are the others).
Brigid, born around AD 451 as Brigit, the name of a pre-Christian goddess in Celtic lore, was born to a Christian slave, Brocca, whom St Patrick baptized, and a Leinster chieftain father named Dubthach.
Dubthach’s wife was not pleased that Brocca was pregnant and had her sold to a Druid.
As a young girl, Brigid was gifted with miraculous cures, especially for the poor and needy.
Because she was born a slave, when Brigid turned ten, she returned to her father’s home as a daughter and servant.
Her father did not like how generously she gave to others and tried seling her to the King of Leinster.
Brigid demonstrated her charity to the King, who then bade Dubthach to free her from slavery, recognizing her Christian faith and generosity.
Her father later tried to set her up for marriage, but Brigid had made a vow of chastity and steadfastly refused marriage.
Brigid went on to found the Church of the Oak, a monastery in Kildare. Providentially, this monastery was built atop a shrine to the pagan goddess Brigid.
Brigid formed institutes for consecrated religious life, for both men and women. She worked with (Saint) Conleth, a hermit, to be the spiritual director for the institutes.
Brigid was a good friend of St Patrick, and one biography stated that “Between St Patrick and St 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 died on February 1st, 525