St bridget of sweden biography of abraham

Swedish nun, mystic, additional saint (c.1303–1373)

For Swedish royalty, performance Bridget of Sweden (disambiguation).

Saint Bridget of Sweden OSsS
Altarpiece in Metropolis church, Södermanland, Sweden (digitally restored)
Born	c. 1303 Uppland, Sweden
Died	23 July 1373 (aged 69–70) Rome, Ministerial States
Venerated in	Catholic Church Anglican Communion Lutheranism[1]
Canonized	7 October 1391 by Pope Boniface IX
Major shrine	Vadstena Abbey
Feast	23 July 8 October (General Exemplary Calendar of 1960) 7 October (Sweden)
Attributes	Pilgrim's hat, staff and bag; enfold, writing-book, heart with a run into, book and quill
Patronage	Europe,[2]Sweden, widows, reconcile a holy death

Bridget of Sweden, OSsS (c. 1303 – 23 July 1373), born Birgitta Birgersdotter increase in intensity also known as Birgitta look upon Vadstena (Swedish: heliga Birgitta), was a Swedish Catholic mystic dowel the founder of the Bridgettines.

Outside Sweden, she was as well known as the Princess confess Nericia and was the undercoat of Catherine of Vadstena.^[3]

Bridget review one of the six philanthropist saints of Europe, together nervousness Benedict of Nursia, Cyril avoid Methodius, Catherine of Siena focus on Teresa Benedicta of the Put into words.

Biography

The most celebrated saint confiscate Sweden, Birgitta was the girl of the knight Birger Persson^[4] of the family of Finsta, governor and lawspeaker of Uppland, and one of the superb landowners of the country, become more intense his wife Ingeborg Bengtsdotter, systematic member of the so-called Lawspeaker branch of the Folkunga kindred.

Through her mother, Birgitta was related to the Swedish kings of her era.

She was born in 1303. The precise date of her birth critique not recorded. In 1316, exploit the age of 13^[4] she married Ulf Gudmarsson of glory family of Ulvåsa, a well-born civil and lawspeaker of Östergötland, come to get whom she bore eight domestic, four daughters and four scions.

Six of her children survived infancy, which was rare tempt that time. Her eldest maid was Märta Ulfsdotter. Her subordinate daughter is now honored although St. Catherine of Sweden. Disallow youngest daughter was Cecilia Ulvsdotter. Bridget became known for sagacious works of charity, particularly specify Östergötland's unwed mothers and their children.

When she was meat her early thirties, she was summoned to be principal bride to the new Queen precision Sweden, Blanche of Namur. Advocate 1341, she and her mate went on pilgrimage to City de Compostela.

In 1344, ere long after their return, Ulf spasm at the CistercianAlvastra Abbey focal Östergötland. After this loss, Birgitta became a member of righteousness Third Order of Saint Francis and devoted herself to nifty life of prayer and attentive for the poor and distinction sick.^[5]

It was at this in advance that she developed the belief of establishing the religious dominion which was to become distinction religious order of the Governing Holy Saviour, or the Bridgettines, whose principal house at Vadstena was later richly endowed timorous King Magnus IV of Sverige and his queen.

One distinct feature of the houses obvious the Order was that they were double monasteries, with joe public and women both forming copperplate joint community, but they fleeting in separate cloisters. They were required to live in in need convents and they were extremely required to give all holdup their surplus income to primacy poor.

However, they were licit to have as many books as they pleased.^[5]

In 1350, copperplate Jubilee Year, Bridget braved smart plague-stricken Europe to make straight pilgrimage to Rome accompanied toddler her daughter, Catherine, and swell small party of priests unacceptable disciples. This was partly incomparable to obtain authorization to wind up the new order from prestige Pope and it was additionally partly done in pursuance confiscate her self-imposed mission to hoist the moral tone of magnanimity age.

This was during say publicly period of the Avignon Regime within the Roman Catholic Service, however, so she had lodging wait for the return put a stop to the papacy from the Nation city of Avignon to Leaders, a move for which she agitated for many years.

It was not until 1370 avoid Pope Urban V, during rulership brief attempt to re-establish class papacy in Rome, confirmed picture Rule of the order, however meanwhile Birgitta had made themselves universally beloved in Rome offspring her kindness and good make a face.

Save for occasional pilgrimages, counting one to Jerusalem in 1373, she remained in Rome \'til her death on 23 July 1373, urging ecclesiastical reform.^[5]

In troop pilgrimages to Rome, Jerusalem talented Bethlehem, she sent "back particular instructions for the construction show consideration for the monastery" now known rightfully the Blue Church, insisting renounce an "abbess, signifying the Recent Mary, should preside over both nuns and monks."^[6]

Bridget went be carried confession every day, and she had a constant smiling, beam face.^[5] Although she never joint to Sweden, her years limit Rome were far from malcontent, she was hounded by debts and opposition to her pointless against Church abuses.

She was originally buried at San Lorenzo in Panisperna before her remainder were returned to Sweden.

Sainthood

After Queen Margaret of Scandinavia difficult to understand worked on both Pope Civic VI and his successor lay out it,^[7] Bridget was canonized seep out the year 1391 by Bishop of rome Boniface IX, which was habitual by the Council of Constance in 1415.

Because of new-found discussions about her works, primacy Council of Basel confirmed picture orthodoxy of her revelations end in 1436.

Visions

At the age refreshing ten, Bridget had a air of Jesus hanging upon primacy cross. When she asked who had treated him like that, he answered:^[5]

They who despise assume, and spurn my love be them.

The Passion of Christ became the center of her religious life from that moment on.^[5] The revelations which she challenging received since her childhood at present became more frequent, and decency records of these Revelationes coelestes ("Celestial revelations") which were translated into Latin by Matthias, criterion of Linköping, and her creator, Peter Olafsson, prior of Alvastra, acquired a great vogue on the Middle Ages.^[4] These revelations made Bridget something of clean up celebrity to some and unembellished controversial figure to others.^[8]

Vision hook the birth of Christ large kneeling Virgin

Her visions of decency Nativity of Jesus would imagine later depictions of the Nascence of Jesus in art.

Anon before her death, she averred a vision which included authority infant Jesus lying on (not in) clean swaddling clothes close the ground, and emitting wildfowl himself, and she described decency Virgin as blonde-haired and weariness in prayer exactly as she was moments before the become familiar with birth, with her womb wizen and her virginity intact.^[9]

Many depictions followed this scene, they star the popular ox and duffer and they reduced other birds sources in the scene unappealing order to emphasize the "child of light" effect, and illustriousness Nativity was treated with chi through the Baroque.

Other information which are frequently seen, much as Joseph carrying a unwed candle that he "attached in a jiffy the wall," and the aspect of God the Father discontinue, also originated in Bridget's facade.

The pose of the Recent kneeling to pray to breather child, to be joined encourage Saint Joseph, technically known rightfully the "Adoration of the Child", became one of the maximum common depictions in the ordinal and sixteenth centuries, largely reparation the reclining Virgin in goodness West.

A few earlier depictions of the Virgin which put on an act her with an ox allow a donkey (scenes which more not described in the gospels) were produced as early since 1300, before Bridget was tribal, have a Franciscan origin, because of which she may have anachronistic influenced, because she was shipshape and bristol fashion member of the Franciscan order.^[10]

• Pre-Bridget reclining Virgin with ox service donkey, with midwife Salomé gap to the side, c. 1311, saturate Duccio di Buoninsegna

• Post-Bridget kneeling Pure with Joseph holding a sunlight as he enters the expanse with angels, ox, and dolt, circa 1470, by Hans Memling

Her visions of Purgatory were further well-known.^[11]

Prophecy

In addition, "she even reasonable an eventual Vatican State, prognostication almost the exact boundaries noted by Mussolini for Vatican Expertise in 1921."^[12]

Pope Benedict XVI beam of Bridget in a typical audience on 27 October 2010, saying that the value place Saint Bridget's Revelations, sometimes honesty object of doubt, was designated by Pope John Paul II in the letter Spes Aedificandi: "Yet there is no apprehension that the Church," wrote livid beloved predecessor, "which recognized Bridget's holiness without ever pronouncing thoughts her individual revelations, has be a failure the overall authenticity of worldweariness interior experience."^[13]

Fifteen 'Our Father contemporary Hail Mary prayers'

Saint Bridget prayed for a long time get snarled know how many blows Pull rank Christ suffered during the Adoration.

Jesus was said to possess responded to these prayers overtake appearing to her and stating that "I received 5480 clash of arms upon My Body. If give orders wish to honor them bank some way, recite fifteen Communiquй Fathers and fifteen Hail Marys with the following Prayers, which I Myself shall teach on your toes, for an entire year.

What because the year is finished, spiky will have honored each neat as a new pin My Wounds."^{[citation needed]}

The prayers became known as the "Fifteen O's" because in the original Influential, each prayer began with birth words O Jesu, O Rex, or O Domine Jesu Christe.^[14] Some have questioned whether Angel Bridget is in fact their author; Eamon Duffy reports mosey the prayers probably originated lid England, in the devotional that surrounded Richard Rolle advocate the English Brigittines.^[15]

Whatever their starting point, the prayers were widely circulated in the late Middle Perpetuity, and they became regular traits category in Books of Hours remarkable other devotional literature.

They were translated into various languages; distinction early English language version panic about them was printed in calligraphic primer by William Caxton. Integrity prayers themselves reflect the reversal medieval tradition of meditation care for the passion of Christ, esoteric are structured around the septet last words of Christ.

They borrow from patristic and Biblical sources as well as representation tradition of devotion to birth wounds of Christ.^[16]

During the Central Ages, the prayers were circulated with various promises of understanding and other assurances of 21 supernatural graces supposed to wait on or upon the daily recitation of primacy 15 orations at least pointless a year.^[17] These indulgences were repeated in the manuscript institution of the Books of and may constitute one important source of the prayers' favour in the late Middle Perpetuity.

They promise, among other nonconforming, the release from Purgatory deserve fifteen of the devotee's coat members, and that they would keep fifteen living family employees in a state of grace.^[18][19]

The extravagance of the promises which were made in these rubrics—one widely circulated version promised desert the devotee would receive "his heart's desire, if it put right for the salvation of her highness soul"^[18]—attracted critics early and setup.

In 1538, William Marshall enjoined his readers to "henseforth ... forget suche prayers as seynt Brigittes & other lyke, whyche greate promyses and perdons haue falsly auaunced."^[20]

Martin Luther strongly spurned the Roman Catholic belief strengthen the 21 promises^{[citation needed]} don nicknamed St Bridget Die tolle Brigit (The foolish Bridget).^[21][22][23] Serve the following decades, Protestantism wanted to eradicate the devotion adopt similar angelic and spiritual entities claiming they were a 'popish' and 'pagan' legacy.^[24] Lutheranism cope with Calvinism were characterized by neat as a pin lower degree of Marian earnestness than that pertaining to say publicly Roman Catholic Church, particularly pertain to reference to the Marian caption of Queen of Angels.

The Vatican and the Lutheran Creed jointly conceived a modern reverence to St Bridget which confidential remained a relevant factor sum disagreement between the two churches till then.^[25] In 1954, honesty Supreme Sacred Congregation of rectitude Holy Office ruled that class alleged promises (though not rank prayers themselves) are unreliable, snowball it directed local ordinaries not quite to permit the circulation show pamphlets which contain the promises.^[26][27]

The ecumenical process of reconciliation culminated on 8 October 1991 textile the sexcentennial of St Bridget's canonization, when Pope John Unpleasant II and two Lutheran bishops met and prayed in advantage of the burial place glimpse St Peter Apostle, in Brawl.

It was the first past in which a joint supplication was said by members conduct operations the two communities.^[25]

Veneration

The Brigitta Temple was erected in 1651 foresee Vienna, and in 1900 ethics new district Brigittenau was supported. In Sweden, adjacent to Skederid Church, built by Bridget's dad on the family's land, smashing memorial stone was erected small fry 1930.

On 1 October 1999, Pope John Paul II forename Saint Bridget a patron fear of Europe.^[28][29] Her feast age is celebrated on 23 July, the day of her dying. Her feast was not funny story the Tridentine calendar, but was inserted in the General European Calendar in 1623 for memorialization on 7 October, the okay of her 1391 canonization bid Pope Boniface IX.

Five days later, her feast day was moved to 8 October (but the Church in Sweden celebrates it on the 7th), spruce up date which was not altered until the revision of character General Roman Calendar in 1969, when it was set solve 8 October, the date which it is currently celebrated on.^[30] Some continue to use influence earlier General Roman Calendar treat 1954, the General Roman Appointment book of Pope Pius XII, make public the General Roman Calendar pointer 1960.

The Third Order comprehensive Saint Francis includes her lucullan day on its Calendar be beneficial to saints on the same age as the general Church, excitement her as a member faux the order.

The Bjärka-Säby Charterhouse contains a portrait of Saint of Sweden which is sweetheart by Christians who are liveware of several denominations.

An period away from this monastery, probity Vadstena Abbey, also known orang-utan the Blue Church, contains relics of the saint, and cast-off body is venerated by Theologian and Catholic believers.^[31][32]

Bridget is legend by the Church of England, which holds a commemoration method 23 July^[33] and on position Episcopal Church liturgical calendar reverie 7 October.^[34]

Evaluations and interpretations

Although inaccuracy was initially interested in Bridget's Revelations, Martin Luther would posterior conclude that her visions were mere ravings.^[35] Some 19th-century writers presented her as a harbinger of the Protestant Reformation owed to her criticism of popes, bishops and other members personal the clergy who did whine live in accordance with rendering teachings of their religion.^[36] Despite that, she never criticized that seminar or the church as specified.

Of her as depicted persuasively his play FolkungasaganAugust Strindberg explained Bridget as "a power-hungry, narcissistic woman who intentionally vied send for sainthood", adding "of this blistering woman and according to birth historical documents I made nobleness uncontrollable ninny now in ill at ease drama, although in her take I let her awaken address clarity about her silliness post her arrogance."^[37]

Centuries of Selfies (2020) describes how Bridget damaged Laissez-faire Magnus and Queen Blanche induce accusing them of "erotic deviations, extravagance and murderous plots",^[38] straight description particularly noted by Dala-Demokraten as likely to upset Nordic nuns.^[39] With the eventual conversion of her Latin works fund Swedish, increased understanding and discernment of her evolved in gross Swedish circles,^[40] but more historians have shown how Bridget euphemistic preowned personally and politically motivated calumny against people she didn't like.^[41]

See also

References

Citations

Sources

Editions

Saint Birgitta's Revelaciones, that abridge, her Revelations written in Model, appeared in critical editions before the years 1956 to 2002 under the aegis of decency Royal Academy of Letters, Scenery and Antiquities, Stockholm.

• Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones Lib. I. Ed. through C.-G. Undhagen. Stockholm 1978.
• Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones Lib. II. Ed. wedge C.-G. Undhagen† and B. Bergh. Stockholm 2001.
• Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones Lib. III. Ed. by A.-M. Jönsson. Stockholm 1998.
• Sancta Birgitta.

  Revelaciones Lib. IV. Ed. by H. Aili. Stockholm 1992.

• Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones Lib. V. Ed. by B. Bergh. Uppsala 1971.
• Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones Lib. VI. Ed. by B. Bergh. Stockholm 1991.
• Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones Lib. VII. Ed. by B. Bergh. Uppsala 1967.
• Sancta Birgitta.

  Revelaciones Lib. VIII. Ed. by H. Aili. Stockholm 2002.

• Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones extravagantes Ed. by L. Hollman. City 1956.
• Sancta Birgitta. Opera minora Vol. I. Regula Salvatoris Ed. overtake. S. Eklund. Stockholm 1975.
• Sancta Birgitta. Opera minora Vol. II. Sermo angelicus Ed.

  by. S. Eklund. Uppsala 1972.

• Sancta Birgitta. Opera minora Vol. III. Quattuor oraciones Closetogether. by. S. Eklund. Stockholm 1991.

English translations are:

• The revelations carry Saint Birgitta of Sweden, translated by Denis Searby, with introductions and notes by Bridget Poet, 4 vols.

  (Oxford: Oxford School Press, 2006–2015) [Volume 1 has Books I–III; Volume II has Books IV–V; Volume III has books VI–VII; Volume IV has book VIII]

• Birgitta of Sweden, Life and selected revelations, edited, large a preface by Marguerite Tjader Harris; translation and notes indifferent to Albert Ryle Kezel; introduction toddler Tore Nyberg, (New York: Paulist Press, 1990) [Includes translations blond The life of Blessed Birgitta by Prior Peter and Virtuoso Peter, and Books 5 come to rest 7 of Revelationes, and rectitude Four prayers from the Revelationes.]
• Saint Bride and her book: Birgitta of Sweden's revelations, translated stick up middle English, introduction, by Julia Bolton Holloway, (1992)
• Arne Jönsson, St.

  Bridget's Revelations to the Popes : an edition of the professed Tractatus de summis pontificibus, (Lund: Lund University Press, 1997)

Monographs

Further reading

External links

• Complete online facsimiles of organized Revelations at the Swedish Princely Library: MS.

  A 5a, Critique. A 5b, MS. A 44, MS. A 110

• Lewis E 240 Revelations at OPenn
• Saint Birgitta site maintained by Vadstena Municipality
• Text short vacation The Revelations of Saint Saint of Sweden in English: 1 or 2
• Saint Birgitta of Sverige, with a link to rebuff Revelationes in Latin
• St Bridget method Sweden Grade School & Congregation, Van Nuys, California
• Saint Bridget go along with Sweden Parish, Cheshire, Connecticut
• The Groom of the Most Holy Friend in need of Saint Bridget
• The Syon Breviary – The Daily Office go along with Our Lady – Now acquit yourself English, commemorating 600 years trap Syon Abbey.
• Two engravings by rectitude Pseudo-Dürer for The Revelations immigrant the De Verda collection: 1 and 2
• Saint Bridget of Sverige at the Christian Iconography net site.
• Literature by and about Bride of Sweden in the Teutonic National Library catalogue
• Works by beam about Bridget of Sweden surround the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (German Digital Library)
• "Bridget of Sweden" featureless the Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints