St Bridget of Sweden 1373

Feastday 23rd July

Born 1303

Died 1373

Daughter of Birger Persson, the governor and provincial judge of Uppland, and of Ingeborg Bengtsdotter. Her father was one of the greatest landowners in the country, her mother was known widely for her piety, and the family were descendants of the Swedish royal house. Related to Saint Ingrid. Bridget began receiving visions, most of the Crucifixion, at age seven. Her mother died c.1315 when the girl was about twelve years old, and she was raised and educated by an equally pious aunt. In 1316, at age thirteen, she wed prince Ulfo of Nercia in an arranged marriage. Mother of eight children including Saint Catherine of Sweden; some of the other children ignored the Church. Friend and counselor to many priests and theologians of her day. Chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Blanche of Namur in 1335, from which position she counseled and guided the Queen and King Magnus II. After Ulfo's death in 1344 following a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, she pursued a religious life, for which she was harassed by others at the court. She eventually renounced her title of princess. Franciscan tertiary. Cistercian. Mystic, visionary, and mystical writer. She recorded the revelations given her in her visions, and these became hugely popular in the Middle Ages. Founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior (Bridgettines) at Vadstena in 1346. It received confirmation by Pope Urban V in 1370, and survives today, though few houses remain. Pilgrim to Rome, Italian holy sites, and the Holy Lands. Chastened and counseled kings and Popes Clement VI, Urban VI, and Gregory XI, urging them to return to Rome from Avignon. Encouraged all who would listen to meditate on the Passion, and of Jesus Crucified. ¹

1. Taken from the Patron Saints Index at http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintb07.htm

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1. Prophecies

“The son of man, the parvenu of the sea, shall be most invincible in war and shall subdue all Germany. The great house shall almost be pulled down. At last the Eagle will come from the North to the West, and shall, together with her children, be surrounded by the towers of Spain and they will raise Germany up again. The Eagle will also invade Mahometan countries and will carry the admirable sign in the land of promise. Peace and abundance shall return to the world…” ¹

“This most unhappy war shall end when an emperor of Spanish origin will be elected, who will, in a wonderful manner, be victorious through the sign of the Cross. He shall destroy the Jewish and the Mahometan sects: he will restore the church of Santa Sophia, and all the earth shall enjoy peace and prosperity; and new cities will be erected in many places.” ²

“Let the Greeks know that their empire, their kingdoms, or dominions, shall never be secure or in settled peace, but will always be held in subjection by their enemies, from whom they shall have to suffer most grievous hardships and constant distresses: until, with true humility and good will, they shall have devoutly submitted themselves to the Church of Rome and to her faith, conforming themselves entirely to the holy ordinances and rites of that Church…” ³

“When the Feast of St. Mark shall fall on Easter, the Feast of St. Anthony on Pentecost, and that of St. John on Corpus Christi, the whole world shall cry, Woe!” ⁴

“For the Lily, reigning in the superior part shall move the encampments against the seed of the Lions, and shall surround the children of men that will fight against the Lily. At that time the sign of impiety shall be raised” ^4a

“At that time will come out of the island a terrible son of man, carrying war in his powerful arm, and with the French he will fight against the Italians, Germans, Sarmatians, Spaniards, and Turks. Everything shall be upset During three consecutive years there shall be fighting among the faithful. The Lily, or Bourbon kings, shall lose the crown, which shall be taken up by the Eagle, and with which shall be crowned the son of an obscure man risen from the sea, who will carry the admirable sign in the promised land. Woe! woe!! woe!!! when the son of man shall seat himself on the throne of the Lilies), then great tribulations shall be in the Church.” ^4b

“During the six following years there shall be many and great wars among Christians, and in some country the war shall be so cruel that men never saw the equal. Ah! child, consider well whether thou will be on the side of good, or of evil! If thou art on the side of good, or right, why dost thou not raise up again the columns of the Church? Why dost thou not restore them to their proper place? “ ^4c

“Then shall rise the congress of iniquity (Freemasons and Jansenists), that will be able to excite the Gallicans against the Church of God. However, Gallicanism shall perish, of its own disease. But the son of man, the parvenu of the sea, shall be most invincible in war, and shall subdue all Germany. The great house (Austrian Empire) shall almost be pulled down. But at last the Eagle will come from the North to the West, and shall together with her children be surrounded by the towers of Spain, and they will raise Germany up again.” ^4d

“The Eagle will also invade Mahometan countries and will carry the admirable sign in the land of promise. Peace and abundance shall return to the world. But shortly after new wars shall break out. Woe to you, Venice! Woe to you, Lucca and Genoa, Italian republics! Woe, because after the year 1790 you shall all be pulled down by the hands of the French. Then in Europe there will be very many wicked men (wicked and impious men, then, are the real enemies and destroyers of true republican governments). New wars! wars carried on with much cruelty and fierceness, many cities shall be destroyed, an innumerable quantity of men shall be killed, the very head of the world shall be shaken. This most unhappy war shall end, when an emperor of Spanish origin will be elected (see “Letters of St. Francis di Paola”), who will in a wonderful manner be victorious through the Sign of the Cross. He shall destroy the Jewish and the Mahometan sects; he will restore the church of Santa Sophia and all the Earth shall enjoy peace and prosperity; and new cities will be erected in many places.” ^4e

“Sweden shall see again the true light of Faith, when it will be governed by a queen born with eleven fingers.” ^4f.

“Antichrist shall be born from an accursed woman, who will pretend to be well-informed in spiritual things, and of an accursed man, from the flesh of whom the Devil shall form his work. The time of this Antichrist, well known to me, will come when iniquity and impiety shall above measure abound. Before, however, Antichrist arrives, the gate of Faith will be opened to some nations, and the Scripture shall be verified. Peop1e without intelligence shall glorify me, and deserts shall be inhibited. Hence, when many Christians will be lovers of heresies, and wicked men will persecute the clergy and will hate justice, this should be the sign that Antichrist shall come without delay.” ^4g.

“Lastly, he shall arrive, the most wicked of men, and, helped by the Jews, he will fight against the whole world; he will reign during three years, and shall have dominion over the whole Earth; he will make every effort to abolish from the Earth the Christian name, and very many Christians shall be killed.” ^4h

“The time of Antichrist will be near when the measure of in justice will overflow and when wickedness has grown to immense proportions, when the Christians love heresies and the unjust trample underfoot the servants of God. At the end of this age, the Antichrist will be born. As Christ was born from the highest type of womanhood so Antichrist will be born from the lowest [prostitute]. He will be a child-wonder at birth. His mother will be an accursed woman, who will pretend to be well-informed in spiritual things, and his father will be an accursed man, from the seed of whom the devil shall form his work. The time of this Antichrist, well-known to me, will come when iniquity and impiety shall above measure abound, when injustice shall have filled the measure to overflowing, and wickedness shall have grown to immeasurable proportions.... He will reign during three years, and shall have dominion over the whole earth.... In the year 1980 the wicked shall prevail” ⁵

“An apparent sign that the Antichrist is coming will be when Christians love error and when the unjust tred spirituality and justice under foot” ⁶

“Before Antichrist comes the portals of the faith will be opened to great numbers of pagans. Just as children of God are born of a spiritual marriage so will antichrist spring from an accursed man. Through whose agency with Gods permission the devil will accomplish his ends…” ⁷

“and…the rise of a Great Monarch” ⁸

2. Our Lord’s Passion

(i) To follow the words of Our Saviour Jesus Christ in a letter Consecrating the Drops of Blood Jesus lost on His way to Calvary. St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, with St. Matilda and St. Bridget, wishing to know something of the Passion of Jesus Christ, offered fervent and special prayers, upon which there appeared to them Our Lord Jesus Christ who spoke to them as recorded below. A copy of the letter is kept in a silver box in the Holy Sepulchre of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem which had been preserved by the Christian Emperors and Pope:

“I descended from Heaven to the Earth in order to convert you. If olden times people were religious and their harvests were abundant; at present, on the contrary, they are scanty. If you want to reap an abundant harvest you must not work on Sunday, for on Sunday you must go to Church and pray to God to forgive your sins. He gave you six days in which to work and one for rest and devotion and to tender your help to the poor and assist in the Church….”

“Those people, who brawl against my religion and cast slurs on this Sacred Letter, shall be forsaken by Me. On the contrary, those people who shall carry a copy of this letter with them shall be free from death by drowning and sudden death. They shall be free from all contagious diseases and lightening; they shall not die without confession, and shall be free from their enemies and from the hand of wrongful authority, and from all their slanderers and false witnesses….”

“Women in peril at child-birth will, by keeping this Oration about them, immediately overcome the difficulty. In the houses where this Oration is kept, no evil thing will ever happen: and fourty days before the death of a person who has this Oration about him or her, the Blessed Virgin will appear to him or her. So said St. Gregorius…”

“To all those faithful who shall recite for 3 years, each day 2 Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Be's, in honour of the drops of blood I lost, I will concede the following 5 graces:

1. The plenary indulgence and remittance of your sins.

2. You will be free from the pains of Purgatory.

3. If you should die before completing the said 3 years, for you it will be the same as if you had completed them.

4. It will be upon your death the same as if you had shed all your blood for the Holy Faith.

5. I will descend from Heaven to take your soul and that of your relatives, until the fourth generation.

“Be it known that the number of armed soldiers were 150; those who trailed me while I was bound were 23. The executioners were 83; the blows received on my head were 150; those on my stomach, 108; kicks on my shoulders, 80. I was led, bound with cords by the hair, 24 times; spits in the face were 180; I was beaten on the body 6666 times; beaten on the head, 110 times. I was roughly pushed, and at 12 o'clock was lifted up by the hair; pricked with thorns and pulled by the beard 23 times; received 20 wounds on the head; thorns of marine junks, 72; pricks of thorns in the head, 110; mortal thorns in the forehead, 3. I was afterwards flogged and dressed as a mocked king; wounds in the body, 1000. The soldiers who led me to the Calvary were 608; those who watched me were 3, and those who mocked me were 1008; the drops of blood which I lost were 28,430….”Benedetta DA S.S., Pope Leo XIII, In Roma 5 Aprile 1890 ⁹

Given by Our Lady: “Then led to the pillar, My Son stripped Himself, and He Himself stretched His hands to the pillar, which His enemies pitilessly bound. They scourged His Body pure from all spot or stain... His whole Body lacerated with scourges tipped with sharp points turned back, not pulling out, but ploughing up... His Body bruised and beaten to the very ribs so that the ribs could be seen... His very flesh was furrowed with the thongs. My Son stood thus, all bloody, all torn, so that no soundness could be found on him nor any spot to scourge.” ¹⁰

3. The 15 prayers of St Bridget

These prayers are prayed daily, each beginning with a Pater and an Ave. Then follows a concluding prayer. There are alleged promises from Our Lord attached to these prayers, but they are problematic, inconsistent with Catholic teaching, and their publication was once forbidden. It may be that the vision wasn't properly written down, properly translated, consistently handed-down, or otherwise kept intact, but in any case, beware of any "Magnificent Promises" you may hear of in association with the following perfectly pious prayers.

First Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee, joy surpassing all joy and all desire, Salvation and Hope of all sinners, Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire than to be among men, even assuming human nature at the fullness of time for the love of men, recall all the sufferings Thou hast endured from the instant of Thy conception, and especially during Thy Passion, as it was decreed and ordained from eternity in the Divine plan. Remember, O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Thy disciples having washed their feet, Thou gavest them Thy Most Precious Body and Blood, and while at the same time Thou didst sweetly console them, Thou didst fortell them Thy coming Passion. Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou didst experience in Thy Soul as Thou Thyself bore witness saying: "My Soul is sorrowful even unto death." Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst suffer in Thy delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifixion, when, after having prayed three times, bathed in a sweat of blood, Thou wast betrayed by Judas, Thy disciple, arrested by the people of a nation Thou hadst chosen and elevated, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges during the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal season. Remember that Thou wast despoiled of Thy garments and clothed in those of derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were veiled, that Thou wast buffeted, crowned with thorns, a reed placed in Thy Hands, that Thou wast crushed with blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages. In memory of all these pains and sufferings which Thou didst endure before Thy Passion on the Cross, grant me before my death true contrition, a sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the remission all my sins. Amen.

Second Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! True liberty of angels, paradise of delights, remember the horror and sadness which Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of insults, spits, blows, lacerations and other unheard-of cruelties, tormented Thee at will. In consideration of these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O my Savior, to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible, and to bring me, under Thy protection, to the perfection of eternal salvation. Amen.

Third Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth Whom nothing can encompass or limit, Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy loving power, remember the very bitter pain Thou didst suffer when the Jews nailed Thy Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big blunt nails, and not finding Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged thy Wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulling Thee from all sides, thus dislocating Thy limbs. I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most Loving suffering of the Cross, to grant me the grace to fear Thee and to Love Thee. Amen.

Fourth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy Head to the Soles of Thy Feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies, saying: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Through this great Mercy, and in memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bitter Passion may effect in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen.

Fifth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Mirror of eternal splendor, remember the sadness which Thou experienced, when contemplating in the light of Thy Divinity the predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Thy Sacred Passion, Thou didst see at the same time, the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned for their sins, and Thou didst complain bitterly of those hopeless, lost, and unfortunate sinners. Through this abyss of compassion and pity, and especially through the goodness which Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou saidst to him: "This day, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise." I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show me mercy. Amen.

Sixth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou wast fastened and raised on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and friends abandoned Thee, except Thy Beloved Mother, who remained close to Thee during Thy agony and whom Thou didst entrust to Thy faithful disciple when Thou saidst to Mary: "Woman, behold thy son!", and to St. John: "Son, behold thy Mother!". I beg of Thee O my Savior, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my afflictions and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.

Seventh Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture of Love, said from the Cross: "I thirst," suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race. I beg of Thee, O my Savior, to inflame in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts, and to extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly desires. Amen.

Eighth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the gall and vinegar which Thou didst taste on the Cross for Love of us, grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood during our life and at the hour of our death, that they may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen.

Ninth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure when plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death, insulted, outraged by the Jews, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou wast abandoned by Thy Father, saying: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O my Savior, not to abandon me in the terrors and pains of my death. Amen.

Tenth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Who art the beginning and the end of all things, life and virtue, remember that for our sakes Thou wast plunged in an abyss of suffering from the soles of Thy Feet to the crown of Thy Head. In consideration of the enormity of Thy Wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy Commandments, whose way is wide and easy for those who love Thee. Amen.

Eleventh Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Deep abyss of mercy, I beg of Thee, in memory of Thy Wounds which penetrated to the very marrow of Thy Bones and to the depth of Thy being, to draw me, a miserable sinner, overwhelmed by my offenses, away from sin and to hide me from Thy Face justly irritated against me; hide me in Thy Wounds, until Thy anger and just indignation shall have passed away. Amen.

Twelfth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Mirror of truth, symbol of unity, link of charity, remember the multitude of wounds with which Thou wast covered from head to foot, torn and reddened by the spilling of Thy adorable Blood. O great and universal pain which Thou didst suffer in Thy virginal flesh for love of us! Sweetest Jesus! What is there that Thou couldst have done for us which Thou hast not done? May the fruit of Thy sufferings be renewed in my soul by the faithful remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy love increase in my heart each day until I see Thee in eternity, Thou Who art the treasury of every real good and every joy, which I beg Thee to grant me, O sweetest Jesus, in Heaven. Amen.

Thirteenth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Strong lion, immortal and invincible King, remember the pain Thou didst endure when all Thy strength, both moral and physical, was entirely exhausted; Thou didst bow Thy Head, saying: "It is consummated." Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee Lord Jesus, to have mercy on me at the hour of my death when my mind will be greatly troubled and my soul will be in anguish. Amen.

Fourteenth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, splendor and figure of His Substance, remember the simple and humble recommendation Thou didst make of Thy Soul to Thy Eternal Father, saying: "Father, into Thy Hands I commend My Spirit!" And with Thy Body all torn, and Thy Heart broken, and the bowels of Thy Mercy open to redeem us, Thou didst expire. By this Precious Death, I beg of Thee O King of Saints, to comfort me and help me to resist the devil, the flesh and the world, so that being dead to the world, I may live for Thee alone. I beg of Thee at the hour of my death to receive me, a pilgrim and an exile returning to Thee. Amen.

Fifteenth Prayer

Say one Our Father and one Hail Mary. O Jesus! True and fruitful Vine! Remember the abundant outpouring of blood which Thou didst so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as juice from grapes in a wine press. From Thy Side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, blood and water issued forth until there was not left in Thy Body a single drop, and finally, like a bundle of myrrh lifted to the top of the Cross, Thy delicate Flesh was destroyed, the very substance of Thy Body withered, and the marrow of Thy Bones dried up. Through this bitter Passion, and through the outpouring of Thy Precious Blood, I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, to receive my soul when I am in my death agony. Amen.

Concluding Prayer

O Sweet Jesus! Pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence and love will be my bread day and night; may I be converted entirely to Thee, may my heart be Thy perpetual habitation, may my conversation be pleasing to Thee, and may the end of my life be so praiseworthy that I may merit Heaven and there with Thy saints, praise Thee forever. Amen. ¹¹

References

1. Rev R. Gerald. Culleton The Prophets and Our Times (Tan Books and Publishers 1941) p 153-154

2. Life and Revelations of St Bridget, Klarus, Regensburg, Mainx, 1833 Vol III p168 as quoted by Desmond A. Birch Trial Tribulation and Triumph: Before, During and After Antichrist, (Queenship Publishing. 1996) p 267

3.Rev R. Gerald. Culleton The Prophets and Our Times (Tan Books and Publishers 1941) p 154

4. ibid

4a. Fr Guadentius Rossi (Pellegrino), The Christian Trumpet (Thos. B. Noonand & Co Boston, U.S.A. 1873) p 23

4b. ibid p. 23

4c. ibid p.23

4d. ibid p.24

4e. ibid p. 24

4f. ibid p.24

4g. ibid p. 24

4h. ibid p. 25

5. Rev R. Gerald. Culleton The Prophets and Our Times (Tan Books and Publishers 1941) p 154

6. Life and Revelations of St Bridget, Klarus, Regensburg, Mainx, 1833 Vol III p168 as quoted by Desmond A. Birch Trial Tribulation and Triumph: Before, During and After Antichrist, (Queenship Publishing. 1996) p 450

7. Source Unavailable. Please write in.

8. ibid

9. Excerpted from St. Brigitta of Sweden’s Visitation, as quoted by the New Colour Peieta (Divine Mercy Publications, Skerries, Co. Dublin 1994) p 32-33

10. The Healing Wounds of Jesus (http://wordbytes.org/healing/HealingWounds/part4.htm)

11. Apologia The Fifteen Prayers of St Bridget of Sweden (http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/15prayersofstbridget.html)