Most of what we know of St. Brigid is shrouded in myth and legend. Nothing was written about her until more than one hundred years after her death. Perhaps more important than who she was is who she became: a symbol and embodiment of what we now call “Celtic Christianity.” After her contemporary, St. Patrick, St. Brigid remains the most beloved saint in Ireland.
Brigid was raised by her father, a Druid chief. After embracing Christianity Brigid went on to establish the only known double or coed monastery in Ireland, the site of which may have been a former Druid worship space. It was among the oaks and had a sacred fire, which Brigid maintained. Kildare literally means “Church of the Oaks.” The Druids recognized the divine in the oaks’ deep roots in the earth and tall branches reaching to the sky, a reminder to unite, rather than divide, heaven and earth. The Druid awareness of the divine in all things would come to characterize Celtic spirituality.
Brigid had the ecclesiastical authority of an abbess, which in a land marked by monasteries, virtually that of a bishop. Legend has it that the bishop accidentally ordained Brigid a bishop. In a land marked by monasteries, Brigid’s ecclesiastical authority as abbess would be like that of a bishop.
The most popular legend of Brigid is that she was the barmaid at the inn at Bethlehem. There was neither room, food nor drink to share. A couple knocks at the door; Brigid notices the young girl is pregnant. Despite being instructed to turn them away but, she shares a last remaining cup of water and a small loaf of bread. She returns to the kitchen to find that both are mysteriously replaced. Looking out the window, Brigid notices a bright light coming from the stable. She rushes out, kneels, and midwives the Christ child! With this story, Brigid became known as “Mary of the Gaels.” Celtic Christianity calls all to be midwives of Christ in the world.
Brigid’s remains are said to have been re-interred, at the time of the Danish invasions of the ninth century, with those of Patrick at Downpatrick. At Kildare a small monastery was built on the foundations of her original monastery with its fire shrine.
Brigid (“shining light”), also known as Bride, is popular in England, Scotland and Wales (under her Gaelic name Ffraid), where many churches are named after her. A most popular one, designed by Christopher Wren, is on Fleet Street in London. In the United States we are one of four Episcopal churches dedicated to her; the others are in Colorado, Oregon, and California.
St. Brigid’s feast day, February 1st, a day between the winter and spring solstice, was long held sacred as Imbole, the Celtic festival of spring.