St. Brigid of Kildare

[Josiah14]

As St. Brigid's day was Monday, and she is a very important Western Saint, I bought her service and prayed part of it today in her honor. In the canon, I noticed it was mentioned that she defended a city twice against Norse/barbarian invasions. I haven't been able to find these occurrences in any of the accounts of St. Brigid's life that I've found online. I was wondering if anyone knew the story behind these stanzas of the canon.

It's also mentioned that St. Brigid lost her eye in order to avoid marriage. I am wondering, as well, if there is a more detailed account of this event, also, in some record of the Saint's life.

Thanks in advance to any and all who respond!

 

[Michael G]

9x12 inch icon of St. Brigid of Kildare that I wrote last spring.

 

[Etsi]

As St. Brigid's day was Monday, and she is a very important Western Saint, I bought her service and prayed part of it today in her honor. In the canon, I noticed it was mentioned that she defended a city twice against Norse/barbarian invasions. I haven't been able to find these occurrences in any of the accounts of St. Brigid's life that I've found online. I was wondering if anyone knew the story behind these stanzas of the canon.

It's also mentioned that St. Brigid lost her eye in order to avoid marriage. I am wondering, as well, if there is a more detailed account of this event, also, in some record of the Saint's life.

Thanks in advance to any and all who respond!

The stories I've read on her did not have her losing her eye...more along the lines of she became temporarily disfigured (infection?). I also have not read the accounts of defending cities, but that would not surprise me. I'm reading one version of her story now that has irritated me at the very beginning of it (she's my patron saint and why I have an interest in her). The author has her listed as "the daughter of two pious Christians", when that is not her story...she was the daughter of a pagan tribal leader and a christian slave. As with many saints, particularly during a time when histories were passed down orally and the start of written histories were only Scripture (in Ireland, this was the case at the time of Brigid), there will be variations. Also, certain periods of history led to those that wanted to "clean up" history and stories (we see this with certain American "Christian" publishers that have made every founding father into a near-perfect Christlike representative, when reality was far from it).

 

[angrylittlefisherman]

this is one of my favorite quotes by her.

"I wish I had a great lake of ale for the King of kings,
and the family of heaven
to drink it through time eternal.
I wish I had the meats of belief and genuine piety,
the flails of penance,
and the men of heaven in my house.
I would like keeves of peace to be at their disposal,
vessels of charity for distribution,
caves of mercy for their company,
and cheerfulness to be in their drinking.
I would want Jesus also to be in their midst,
together with the three Marys of illustrious renown,
and the pople of heaven from all parts.
I would like to be a tenant to the Lord,
so if I should suffer distress,
He would confer on me a blessing.

Amen."

 

[Michael G]

this is one of my favorite quotes by her.

"I wish I had a great lake of ale for the King of kings,
and the family of heaven
to drink it through time eternal.
I wish I had the meats of belief and genuine piety,
the flails of penance,
and the men of heaven in my house.
I would like keeves of peace to be at their disposal,
vessels of charity for distribution,
caves of mercy for their company,
and cheerfulness to be in their drinking.
I would want Jesus also to be in their midst,
together with the three Marys of illustrious renown,
and the pople of heaven from all parts.
I would like to be a tenant to the Lord,
so if I should suffer distress,
He would confer on me a blessing.

Amen."

 

[Josiah14]

The stories I've read on her did not have her losing her eye...more along the lines of she became temporarily disfigured (infection?). I also have not read the accounts of defending cities, but that would not surprise me. I'm reading one version of her story now that has irritated me at the very beginning of it (she's my patron saint and why I have an interest in her). The author has her listed as "the daughter of two pious Christians", when that is not her story...she was the daughter of a pagan tribal leader and a christian slave. As with many saints, particularly during a time when histories were passed down orally and the start of written histories were only Scripture (in Ireland, this was the case at the time of Brigid), there will be variations. Also, certain periods of history led to those that wanted to "clean up" history and stories (we see this with certain American "Christian" publishers that have made every founding father into a near-perfect Christlike representative, when reality was far from it).

Thanks for the info. I never observed Saints till I became Orthodox, but I have a particular affinity for St. Brigid. I got her service from St. John of Kronstadt Press. The service very clearly indicates that one of her eyes was destroyed, and Wikipedia indicates that this tidbit is specific to the Eastern Orthodox Tradition, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Catholic Church doesn't keep record of this.

As the Norse were constantly invading Hibernia, I wasnt surprised, either, to hear that she saved certain towns from raids on several occasions. I just wish I knew more about the events.

 

[Josiah14]

9x12 inch icon of St. Brigid of Kildare that I wrote last spring.

Beautiful icon. I have 2 prints of her icons hanging in my room, plus one I got from an Orthodox calendar.

 

[Michael G]

The icon to the right with the scenery was written by a good friend of mine, Cheryl Pituch.

 

[Etsi]

Two of my favorite icons of her are in the links below:

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSMDvCZxzlYiDeGFVjUz8SmuFMzgsgg814ArnV6XXtMFDSGCFMK&t=1

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRB9-KpK068QsT3RShAnYcgTYp4HV4KRie_YfqBezbrpQjO8Kw5&t=1

 

[ArmyMatt]

pretty rockin icons. I dunno about her life, but I would say that a service to her would be pretty trustworthy, so whatever it says in the service is what I would go with. we pray what we believe, after all.

 

[Josiah14]

The icon to the right with the scenery was written by a good friend of mine, Cheryl Pituch.

If you mean the one that says "Since I have fixed my mind on God, I have never taken it off", that one is favorite that I've found. I haven't been able to find an actual print of the icon, so I had to get a high res image online, print it out, and laminate it. I'd like to have a properly made one, though.