Bridget, Saint (1303-1373), a Swedish noblewoman, became the best-known saint of the Scandinavian countries. She is sometimes called Birgitta or Brigitta.
At the age of 14, Bridget married a prince and enjoyed a happy marriage for 28 years until her husband died in 1344. She had eight children, one of whom became Saint Catherine of Sweden. As a wife and mother, Bridget was known for her gentleness as well as her household management, yet she cultivated a life of deep prayer that included mystical experiences. She wrote down a number of visions and revelations that concerned the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. In 1346, Bridget founded the Bridgettine Sisters, a community of religious women. She was canonized (declared a saint) in 1391. Her feast day is July 23, the anniversary of her death.
