Brigid’s mother was Brocca, a Christian baptized by Saint Patrick. Brocca was a slave to Dubthach, a Leinster chieftain who had fathered Brigit. When his wife found out, she had Brocca sold to a Druid landowner.

Many stories of Brigid’s purity followed her childhood. She was unable to keep from feeding the poor and healing them.

When she was about 10 years old, she returned to her father’s home as he was her legal master. Her charity did not end when she left her mother as she donated his possessions to anyone who asked.

Dubthach became tired of her charitable nature and took her to the King of Leinster, with the intention of selling her. As he was speaking to the King, Brigid gave his jeweled sword to a beggar so he could barter it for food for his family. When the King saw this, who was a Christian himself, he recognized her heart and convinced Dubthach to grant her freedom saying, “Her merit before God is greater than ours.”

After her freedom, she returned to her mother. She had given away the slave owner’s supplies but he prospered all the more and in thanks, her mother was set free. She had to go back to her father Dubthach as he had arranged her in marriage but she refused and ran off to enter a convent.

She founded a monastery in Kildare, called the Church of the Oak, built upon a pagan shrine. With 7 other friends, they organized a communal consecrated religious life for women in Ireland and she founded 2 monastic institutions, one for men and the other for women. She chose Saint Conleth to govern the Church along with herself. She founded a school of art which Conleth led as well.

She was a good friend to Saint Patrick joining in charity and performing many great works.

On February 1, 525, she passed away of natural causes. She is often depicted holding a reed cross, a crozier, or a lamp.

She is the patron saint of dairy maids, cattle, midwives, Irish nuns, newborn babies, and Ireland.

Her feast day is February 1.

For God’s Glory.