Bridgettines
In 1344, Saint Birgitta of Sweden established a new monastic order dedicated to the Passion of Jesus Christ. She founded this community at Vadstena, located on the shores of Lake Vättern in Sweden, by converting an old royal castle into a monastery. The first Bridgettine house opened its doors in 1369 under her direct guidance. Pope Urban V officially approved the Order of the Most Holy Saviour in 1370 after reviewing her Rule. This approval allowed the order to spread rapidly across Scandinavia and beyond. By 1515, there were 27 houses with significant royal patronage, including 13 located within Scandinavian borders. The motherhouse at Vadstena remained active until 1595 despite the Protestant Reformation sweeping through the region. Lady Ingegerd Knutsdotter served as Abbess of Vadstena from 1385 until her death on the 14th of September 1412. Her passing marked the end of direct biological descent from Saint Bridget, shifting the concept of inheritance to spiritual children within the order.
King Henry V founded Syon Abbey at Isleworth in Middlesex in 1415, providing it with substantial royal endowments. It became one of the most influential religious communities in England until King Henry VIII dissolved it during the Reformation. Richard Reynolds, a monk of the community, was executed for refusing to accept the Oath of Supremacy. He was later canonized as a martyr by Pope Paul VI in 1970. Queen Mary I restored Syon Abbey between 1553 and 1558, re-establishing nearly twenty members in 1557. Following the accession of Queen Elizabeth I, the community faced persecution and eventually left England. They moved first to the Low Countries, then to Rouen in France, and finally settled in Lisbon in 1594. The exiled community recruited new members from England while living in Portugal until 1861 when they returned home. Syon Abbey in Devon continued as the only English religious community existing without interruption since pre-Reformation times. In 2004, surviving medieval books from its library were entrusted to the University of Exeter for safekeeping.
As of 2013, there were approximately 800 members across various active branches of the order. Marina de Escobar founded a Spanish branch in the 1630s that consisted solely of nuns following a modified version of Saint Bridget's Rule. This branch currently operates four independent monasteries in Spain, four in Mexico, and one in Venezuela. The largest modern branch was established by Saint Elizabeth Hesselblad on the 8th of September 1911. She was a nurse who created religious sisters dedicated to providing hospitality for those needing rest. The Holy See fully approved this Swedish branch on the 7th of July 1940. Today it maintains convents across Europe, Asia, and North America. The motherhouse of the entire order resides at Piazza Farnese in Rome, Italy, occupying the house where Birgitta once lived. Fabia Kattakayam became the first person of Indian descent to serve as Abbess General on the 28th of October 2016. An innovative community of Brigittine monks exists in Amity, Oregon, founded on the 16th of March 1976 by Brother Benedict Kirby. This monastery is supported mainly through sales of chocolate fudges and truffles.
The distinctive part of the Bridgettine veil for professed sisters includes a crown called the Crown of the Five Holy Wounds. It features five red marks positioned at each joint to recall the Five Wounds of Christ on the Cross. Monks wear a red cross with an image of a Eucharistic host at the center on the right breast of their cloak. The order possesses its own proper Rite for the Canonical Hours known as the Office of Our Lady. Most houses support themselves financially by providing bed and breakfast hospitality to guests at standard industry rates. The original Bridgettine Order was open to both men and women, creating what historians call a double order. Each monastery had attached to it a small community of monks who acted as chaplains under the government of the abbess. St Bridget's Rule stipulated that nuns were strictly enclosed while emphasizing scholarship and study. The monks served as preachers and itinerant missionaries throughout their communities. Individual monasteries remained subject to local bishops while honoring the Virgin Mary through governance by an abbess.
Controversy erupted in 2002 regarding the treatment of Indian sisters who formed a large percentage of the order. Six Indian sisters from different houses in Italy fled and approached the Benedictine Abbot of Subiaco. At the abbot's request, Bishop Silvio Cesare Bonicelli of Parma issued a special decree permitting these fugitive sisters to enter a monastery of Benedictine nuns. As a consequence, the abbot was subsequently required to resign from office by the Holy See, which represented a highly unusual event. This crisis led to significant administrative changes within the order structure. Fabia Kattakayam was selected as the new Abbess General on the 28th of October 2016 following these developments. She became the first person of Indian descent to serve in this position. The convent at Piazza Farnese offers accommodation and holds Protestant services in its crypt as part of ecumenical outreach efforts. A printshop was established after the Reformation to print Swedish-language Catholic works for distribution.
Bridget of Sweden lived from 1303 until her death on the 23rd of July 1373, serving as founder of the order and Patron Saint of Europe. She was canonized on the 7th of October 1391. Catherine of Vadstena, born in 1332 and died on the 24th of March 1381, was the daughter of Saint Bridget. Pope canonized her on the 16th of August 1482. Richard Reynolds lived from 1492 until his martyrdom on the 4th of May 1535 during the English Reformation. He received the title Angel of Syon and was canonized on the 25th of October 1970 by Pope Paul VI. Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad lived from the 4th of June 1870 until the 24th of April 1957. She founded the Bridgettine Sisters and was recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations due to her World War II efforts. Her canonization occurred on the 5th of June 2016. Marie-Liévine Lacroix and Marie-Augustine Erraux were martyrs of the French Revolution who died on the 23rd of October 1794. Both were beatified on the 13th of June 1920. Florence Kate Flanagan was declared Venerable on the 23rd of March 2023 after living from the 17th of July 1892 until the 19th of March 1941.
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Common questions
When did Saint Birgitta of Sweden establish the Bridgettines?
Saint Birgitta of Sweden established the Bridgettines in 1344. She founded this community at Vadstena on the shores of Lake Vättern by converting an old royal castle into a monastery.
Where is the motherhouse of the entire Bridgettine order located today?
The motherhouse of the entire order resides at Piazza Farnese in Rome, Italy. This location occupies the house where Birgitta once lived and serves as the central governance point for all branches.
Who was the first person of Indian descent to serve as Abbess General of the Bridgettines?
Fabia Kattakayam became the first person of Indian descent to serve as Abbess General on the 28th of October 2016. Her selection followed significant administrative changes within the order structure after a crisis involving Indian sisters in 2002.
What happened to Syon Abbey during the English Reformation under King Henry VIII?
King Henry VIII dissolved Syon Abbey during the Reformation after it had been founded by King Henry V in 1415. The exiled community moved to the Low Countries, then Rouen in France, before settling in Lisbon in 1594.
When did Queen Mary I restore Syon Abbey and how many members were re-established?
Queen Mary I restored Syon Abbey between 1553 and 1558. She successfully re-established nearly twenty members in 1557 following the dissolution of the original community.