Saint Bridget

Saint Bridget 453?-523?, Irish holy woman. She is often called St. Brigid, St. Bride, or St. Bridget of Kildare. Little is known of her, but she did found a great monastery at Kildare. She is buried at Downpatrick with St. Patrick and St. Columba, and with them she is patron of Ireland; hence her nickname Mary of the Gael. St. Bridget is associated notably with charity and justice. Devotion to her was widespread in Great Britain before the Reformation, as witness many names, e.g., Bridewell, Kilbride, Kirkbride, and McBride. Feast: Feb. 1.

Bibliography: See study by A. Curtayne (1954).

Bridget female forename
St Bridget of Ireland (d. c.525), Irish abbess. She was venerated in Ireland as a virgin saint and noted in miracle stories for her compassion; her cult soon spread over most of western Europe. It has been suggested that she may represent the Irish goddess Brig. She is also called Bride, Brigid, and Mary of the Gael. Her emblems are a cheese and a cow, and her feast day is 1 February.
St Bridget of Sweden (c.1303–73), Swedish nun and visionary. She experienced her first vision of the Virgin Mary at the age of 7. After her husband's death she was inspired by further visions to devote herself to religion, and she founded the Order of Bridgettines (c.1346) at Vadstena in Sweden. She is also called Birgitta. Her feast day is 23 July.