Bridget, Or Brigit Brigida, Saint, born in Sweden in 1302, died in Rome, July 23, 1373. She is thought to have been the daughter of Birger, prince of the royal blood of Sweden, and of Ingeburgis, a descendant of the Gothic kings. At the age of 16 she was given in marriage to the councillor Ulpho or Ulf Gudmarson, by whom she had eight children, the youngest of whom is honored in the Roman calendar by the name of St. Catharine of Sweden. After the birth of these children the parents took a vow of continence, built a charity hospital which they served in person, and made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella,on returning from which Ulpho resolved to enter the Cistercian monastery of Alvastre. He died in 1344. Brigida now divided the estate among her children, and built a large monastery at Wadstena, in which she placed 25 monks and 60 nuns, prescribing for them the rule of St. Augustine. Here she spent two years in close seclusion, and then set out for Rome. After founding in that city an asylum for pilgrims and Swedish students, she went to Jerusalem, visited the holy places, and then returned to Rome. She was canonized by Boniface IX. in 1391, and Oct. 8 was appointed as her festival.

In the church of Rome St. Brigida is best known by her revelations, chiefly concerning the passion of Jesus Christ, and events which were to happen in certain kingdoms. They were written after her narration partly by her confessor Peter, a Swedish Cistercian monk, partly by a Spaniard called Alfonso the hermit. Gerson attacked them with great severity; but the council of Basel gave them its approbation after they had been thoroughly examined by John de Turrecremata. Among her other works are a discourse in praise of the blessed Virgin, and a series of prayers on the sufferings and love of Christ.