Saint of the Month
February 1st – St. Brigid
Saint Brigid, unknown author, illumination from the manuscript “Ruskin Hours”, c. 1300, ms. Ludwig IX 3, f. 106v, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Digital image courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Program.
St. Brigid was devoted to the poor and many miracles are attributed to her involving the multiplication of food such as butter. For this reason, she is often depicted in icons with a cow lying at her feet. Another miracle attributed to her involves the changing of bath water into beer.
St. Brigid founded Kildare Abbey and several other Abbeys in Ireland. Next to St. Patrick, she is Ireland’s most beloved Saint.
The miracle of food multiplication can be found in several places in the Bible. You may want to read the account of Jesus multiplying the 5 loaves and 2 fish in the Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14) or Elijah’s prophecy that the Widow at Zarephath’s flour and oil would not run out before the end of the drought (1 Kings 17:7-16).
She is the Patron Saint of (among others): Ireland, poets and dairymaids.