St. Brigid’s relics return to Ireland for the first time in 1,000 years

The relics of Ireland’s only patron saint have returned to their homeland after almost 1,000 years. The revered relics of St Bridget are returning to Kildare after almost a thousand years.

St. Brigid, the mother saint of Ireland, is one of the three great saints of Ireland, along with St. Patrick and St. Columba. St Brigid died in 524 AD and it is believed that she was buried next to the high altar of her abbey church in County Kildare.

Her tomb attracted the attention of pilgrims from Ireland and all over Europe, and a shrine was built to her in the 8th century, decorated with gold, silver, and precious stones.

When the Vikings came to Ireland around 800 AD, they attacked churches. In anticipation of a Viking attack on the town, St. Brigid’s body was moved to Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, and buried in an unmarked grave next to St. Patrick and St. Columba.

To protect the grave and keep its location secret, the grave was unmarked. However, over time, the whereabouts of the saint’s remains were lost and forgotten, and for about 300 years the whereabouts of Ireland’s patron saint were unknown.

In 1185, Bishop Down prayed to God to show him the location of the sacred relics and the bodies of the three saints. A ray of light shone on a part of the dark church floor. The floor was occupied and the bodies of three saints were discovered: St. Patrick in the center and St. Bridget and St. Columba on either side.

The body was properly laid to rest in 1186 and remained there for the next 400 years, until the cathedral was destroyed by Sir Leonard Grey, an appointee of Henry VIII. Although the cathedral is gone, St. Brigid’s remains were preserved and secretly transported to the continent.

It is believed that in the 13th century three Irish knights brought fragments of her head back to Lumial, a small town on the outskirts of Lisbon, Portugal. This relic is still venerated in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Lumial, where the knights continued to spend their lives.

The Brigidine Sisters of Tullow, Co. Carlow, acquired some of Lumiare’s relics in the 1930s, and they will be returned to St Brigid’s Parish Church in Kildare Town to mark the 1500th anniversary of her death.

St Brigid’s relics will be returned to County Kildare next Sunday, January 28th. At 10.30am a procession will accompany the relics from the Solas Bride Center in Taree, on the outskirts of Kildare Town, to St Brigid’s Parish Church in Kildare Town.

The relics will be taken to the church by Bishop Dennis Nulty of Kildare and Leelin, where a special mass will be celebrated at 11am. Anyone is welcome to attend, so organizers ask that you arrive early.

David Mongay, Chairman of Into Kildare, said: This year marks the 1500th anniversary of the saint’s death, and what could be more special than bringing St. Brigid’s relics back to her hometown, where she belonged?

“She built a church in Kildare. Her legacy as a peacemaker and protector of nature is as relevant today as ever.” It has been a long process to bring it back to the county with my colleagues.”I would like to thank Kildare County Council and Sister Brigidine for their huge contribution to bringing Brigid home. ”