THE
"O how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory! for the memory thereof isimmortal: because it is known with God and with men, and it triumpheth, crowned forever." WISD. iv, 1.
NEXT to the glorious St. Patrick, St. Bridget—whom we may consider hisspiritual daughter in Christ—has ever been held in singular veneration inIreland. Even in the neighboring kingdoms of England and Scotland, as a foreign writeraffirms, this great saint has, after the glorious Virgin Mother of God, beensingularly honored and revered. [1] A pity, then, it is,that we know so little of her hitherto, and that our means of knowing much are stillso scanty. We are not able to give more than a biographical sketch, but the facts areso interesting, and above all so edifying, as will in some measure compensate fortheir fewness. To commence, then, our account of the great patroness of Ireland:
NATIVITY OF ST. BRIDGET—HER EARLY PIETY—SHE EMBRACES THE RELIGIOUSSTATE AND FOUNDS SEVERAL MONASTERIES—HER SAINTLY DEATH.
ABOUT the year of our Lord, 453, was St. Bridget born. The place of her nativitywas Tochard or Taugher, in the vicinity of Dundalk, though her illustrious father,Dubtach, and her mother Brocessa or Brotseach, of the noble house of O'Connor, usuallyresided in Leinster. During her youth every attention, which parents of distinguishedrank and eminent piety could employ, was assiduously paid to her education. Greatthings were expected from her; "during her infancy her pious father had a vision, inwhich he saw men clothed in white garments pouring, as it were, a sacred unguent onher head, thereby prefiguring her future sanctity. While yet very young, Bridget, forthe love of Christ our Lord, whom she chose for her spouse, and to whom she wasclosely united in heart and spirit, bestowed every thing at her disposal on Hissuffering members, the poor, and was the edification of all who knew her. She wassurpassingly beautiful; and fearing, in consequence, that efforts might be made by hermany suitors to dissolve the sacred vow by which she had bound herself to the Lord,she besought Him to render her deformed, and to deprive her of that gracefulness ofperson which had gained for her such admiration. Her petition was instantly heard, forher eye became swoln, and her whole countenance so changed, that she was permitted tofollow her vocation in peace, and marriage with her was no more thought of.
"After a short interval, and when she was about twenty years old, [2] the young virgin made known to Maccaille a bishop, and adisciple of St. Patrick, and who had seen over her head a pillar of fire, herdetermination to live only to Christ Jesus, her heavenly Bridegroom, and he quiteapproved of her pious resolve, and consented to receive her sacred vows. On theappointed day, the solemn ceremony of her profession was performed, after the mannerintroduced by St. Patrick, the bishop putting up many holy prayers, and investingBridget with a snow-white habit and a cloak of the same color, after she had put offher secular ornaments. While she inclined her head on this happy occasion to receivethe sacred veil, a miracle of a singularly striking and impressive nature occurred;that part of the wooden platform adjoining the altar on which she knelt recovered itspristine vitality, and put on, as all the bystanders witnessed, its formergreenness and verdure, retaining it for a long time after. At the same momentBridget's eye was healed, and she became as beautiful and lovely as ever." (Le