Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/July 23 2007

Saint Birgitta, also known as Santa Brigida or St. Bridgid of Sweden and Birgitta of Vadstena (1303 – July 23, 1373), was a mystic and saint, and founder of the Bridgettine Order.

The most celebrated saint of Sweden was the daughter of Birger Persson of the family of Finsta, governor and lawspeaker of Uppland, and one of the richest landowners of the country, and his wife, a member of the so-called Lawspeaker branch of the Folkunga family. Through her mother, young Birgitta was a relation of the Swedish kings of her lifetime.

In 1316 she was married to Ulf Gudmarson of the family of Ulvåsa, lord of Närke, to whom she bore eight children, one of whom was afterwards honoured as St. Catherine of Sweden. Birgitta’s saintly and charitable life soon made her known far and wide; she gained, too, great religious influence over her husband, with whom (1341–1343) she went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

In 1344, shortly after their return, Ulf died in the Cistercian monastery of Alvastra in Östergötland, and Birgitta now devoted herself wholly to religion. As a child she had already believed herself to have visions; these now became more frequent, and her records of these Revelationes coelestes ("Celestial revelations") which were translated into Latin by Matthias, canon of Linköping, and by her confessor, Peter prior of Alvastra, obtained a great vogue during the Middle Ages. It was about this time that she founded the order of St. Saviour, or the Bridgettines of which the principal house, at Vadstena, was richly endowed by King Magnus Eriksson of Sweden and his queen.

About 1350 she went to Rome, partly to obtain from the pope the authorization of the new order, partly in pursuance of her self-imposed mission to elevate the moral tone of the age. It was not until 1370 that Pope Urban V confirmed the rule of her order, but meanwhile Birgitta had made herself universally beloved in Rome by her kindness and good works. Save for occasional pilgrimages, including one to Jerusalem in 1373, she remained in Rome until her death on July 23, 1373.

Attributes: book, staff

Patronage: Europe, Sweden, Widows

Prayer: Blessed are you and praiseworthy and glorious for ever, my Lord Jesus.