Who was St. Brigid?
The Feast Day of St Brigid of Kildare
is the 1st of February. She grew up
a milkmaid and cowherd in bondage
to the Druids. So many apocryphal
fancies have been used to embellish
her life story that it is impossible to
reconstruct an accurate biography.
We do know there was a Druid
shrine to a goddess where a
perpetual flame burned. Brigid did
not extinguish this flame when she
founded a Christian religious
community on the site now called
Kildare, Ireland. The religious
community included both men and
women according to the custom of
the Celtic church. She served as
Abbess of this order and as tradition
has it she was consecrated bishop in
order to serve as Abbess. Such
consecrations of women were not
unknown among the Celtic
Christians. Brigid was renowned for
her virtue, piety and hospitality.
is the 1st of February. She grew up
a milkmaid and cowherd in bondage
to the Druids. So many apocryphal
fancies have been used to embellish
her life story that it is impossible to
reconstruct an accurate biography.
We do know there was a Druid
shrine to a goddess where a
perpetual flame burned. Brigid did
not extinguish this flame when she
founded a Christian religious
community on the site now called
Kildare, Ireland. The religious
community included both men and
women according to the custom of
the Celtic church. She served as
Abbess of this order and as tradition
has it she was consecrated bishop in
order to serve as Abbess. Such
consecrations of women were not
unknown among the Celtic
Christians. Brigid was renowned for
her virtue, piety and hospitality.
Used by permission of the artist,
Kathrin Burleson
Kathrin Burleson
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| St. Brigid's Episcopal Church 707-374-2667 |