Description

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St. Brigid of Ireland Special Page

Oil Dedicated to St Brigid of Ireland (Patron for Good Weather)

St Brigid born Brigit, and shares a name with a Celtic goddess from whom many legends and folk customs associated.

There much debate over her birthparents, but it widely believed her mother Brocca, a Christian baptized by Saint Patrick, and her father  Dubthach, a Leinster chieftain. Brocca a slave, therefore Brigid was born into slavery.

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

One story says Brigid once gave her mother’s entire store of butter, that later replenished after Brigid prayed.

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

After being freed, Brigid returned to the Druid and her mother, who was in charge of the Druid’s dairy. Brigid took over and often gave away milk, but the dairy prospered despite the charitable practice, and the Druid eventually freed Brocca.

Brigid then returned to Dubthach, who had arranged for her to marry a bard. She refused and a vow to always be chaste.

Legend has it Brigid prayed that her beauty be taken so no one would want to marry her, and the prayer granted. It not until after she made her final vows that her beauty restored.

Another tale says that when Saint Patrick heard her final vows, he accidentally used the form for ordaining priests. When the error brought to his attention, he simply replied, “So be it, my son, she is destined for great things.”

Saint Brigid’s likeness is often depicted holding a reed cross, a crozier, or a lamp.