SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN

Feast Day - July 23

Lived (December 23, 1303 - July 23, 1373)

Patron Saint of Europe, Sweden and Widows

Bridget was born of a noble family in Sweden. Her father was Birger, the governor of Upland, Sweden and her mother, Ingeborg, the daughter of the governor of East Gothland.

She married young Ulf Gudmarsson at the age of fourteen, whom she lived happily with for twenty-eight years, having eight children - four boys and four girls, of whom one was Saint Catherine of Sweden.

She was appointed lady-in-waiting to King Magnus II’s bride in 1335, Blanche of Namur, and she spent years at court trying to reform Magnus’ weak, and at times, wicked ways, and the queen’s often well-meaning, but irresponsible, bend.

Though Bridget’s famous visions were already under way at this time, spanning subjects from personal hygiene to politics, she did not have great success with her royal “charges”, and was often seen as a “dreamer.”

When her husband died in 1344, she founded an Order of women and another of men to support them spiritually. When her order was established, she traveled to Rome accompanied by her saint daughter, Catherine and some disciples, to seek approval of her Rule. But she was never to return to her native Sweden.

In Rome, she worked to bring back the Papacy, then in the French city of Avignon, to the Eternal City. Her visions and prophecies, dealing with the burning political and religious issues of her time, continued and so increased that, alarmed, she submitted them to the direction of Canon Matthias of Linkoping who pronounced them to be of God. Peter, Prior of Alvastra, recorded these visions in Latin.

Her order was approved by Pope Urban V in 1370.

She made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1373, with Saint Catherine of Sweden; her daughter and three of her sons. At Naples, Charles, her favourite son, met Queen Joanna I who wanted to marry him despite both being already married (Joana thrice). In anguish, Bridget stormed heaven, and Charles, struck by a fever, died after two weeks in his mother’s arms.

She returned from Jerusalem with failing health, received the last rites from her faithful friend, Peter of Alcantara and died on July 23.

Bridget was canonized in 1391.