St. Brigid of Kildare: Patroness of Reproductive Justice?

Saint Brigid of Kildare, the beloved patroness of Ireland, is notable for having miracles in her medieval hagiographies where she terminates pregnancies to restore women’s health and chastity. What could these so-called abortion miracles mean for Catholics and our understanding of abortion and reproductive health?

On February 1, we celebrated the feast of St. Brigid of Kildare, an early Christian figure whose popularity among both Irish nationals and Catholics worldwide has grown in the 21st century. An exciting figure of the Catholic Imagination, Brigid's reemergence as a powerful agent of compassion and self-determination is perhaps due to her rather surprising miracles—including her abortion miracles.

An abbess who lived in Ireland during the 5th and 6th centuries, Brigid founded the Kildare Abbey in present-day County Kildare. Like many early Christian figures, the Brigid we know today is likely a composite of a Celtic fire goddess—whose sacred site is also Kildare—and this mortal early Christian abbess.

According to tradition, Brigid, the abbess, was born out of wedlock and raised in a druid household. Her hagiographies and other medieval writings depicted her as a "bondslave girl." Her upbringing was humble, modest, and challenging.

The abortion miracle depicted in St. Brigid’s hagiography from Cogitosus, an Irish monk from Kildare, which was home to Brigid’s monastery. This hagiography was published circa 650 C.E.

Brigid's abortion miracle can be traced back to her two medieval hagiographies: Vita Prima, her earliest hagiography, and Vita Brigitae (Life of Saint Brigit) published around 650 C.E. by Cogitosus, an Irish monk from Kildare. Although Life of Saint Brigit is not the first hagiography, it’s the one that’s cited the most by scholars, possibly because it’s the only Brigid hagiography with an author's name attached to it.

Brigid’s hagiographies are noteworthy for her endless ability to heal people suffering from numerous ailments, as well as miracles involving animals and even beer! However, what contemporary Catholics may find most surprising is her ability to make pregnancies vanish—for those who ask .

Why abortion miracles?

Abortion miracles are the norm—not the exception—for medieval Irish saints. Brigid is one of four Irish saints who have abortion miracles attributed to them—and she is the only female saint.

The abortion miracle depicted in Vita Prima, which is believed to be the first hagiography of St. Brigid.

Abortion miracles may function, narratively and theologically, in numerous ways: They comment on sin, sexuality, and chastity. They test our understanding of healing, both physical and spiritual. And for Brigid, they reveal how women, medicine, and personal agency were intertwined.

Abortion miracles also reshape how we view sexuality and purity as constructs. The women in Brigid's abortion tales needed Brigid so their "chastity" and dignity may be restored. The abortion was a catalyst for relief, healing, and change.

Brigid has long been considered a woman of compassion. Many of her miracles include healing others of ailments and nourishing the people in her village. For example, Brigid nourished a woman by turning water into milk. Brigid’s association with pregnancy, including these abortion miracles, and providing nourishment and life to others is why Brigid is known as the patroness of fertility and midwives! As we reimagine Brigid in this contemporary moment, we may also consider her the patroness of reproductive justice.

At Call To Action, we continue to discern our involvement in reproductive justice, including formulating new theologies of abortion and strategizing ways to support abortion access and people who have sought abortions. We call on members to reflect on St. Brigid's life and miracles and remember that everyone is deserving of compassion, healing, and grace.