Today, in one of the most highly anticipated matchups of Lent Madness XV, we pit the only two official Silver Halo winners (as graciously awarded by the Supreme Executive Committee) in history against one another, as Brigid of Kildare faces Julian of Norwich (yes, we know it's unfair, etc, etc, but remember this is Lent Madness not Lent Sanity). In 2015, Brigid took home the Silver Halo, after falling to Francis of Assisi, while in 2016, Julian received the Silver Halo, losing to Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Yesterday, Gertrude won. Well, to be specific, Gertrude the Great defeated Gertrude of Nivelles 63% to 37%.
And just in case you missed yesterday's episode of Monday Madness, in which Tim and Scott actually appear TOGETHER, you can watch it here.
Vote now!
Brigid of Kildare
Maybe it’s surprising that St. Brigid of Kildare is so universally beloved when her miracles include popping her own eye out of its socket and causing her brother’s eyeballs to explode in his head.
But then, Brigid also is said to have hung her coat on a literal sunbeam.
She’s known as the “Mary of the Gael” and considered — alongside St. Patrick and St. Columba — one of the three national saints of Ireland.
And, in recent years, the Brigidine Sisters in Kildare report they’ve seen a reclamation of the traditions and customs associated with their namesake.
“Her life still speaks to us in the twenty-firstst century,” according to the sisters’ website.
Brigid was born at what the Brigidine Sisters call a “a time of major transition” in fifth century Ireland and “embodies in herself the pre-Christian Celtic and Christian Celtic spirit.”
Her father was a local chieftain and her mother a slave who was sold to a Druid when the chieftain’s wife discovered she was pregnant. Brigid was raised in the Druid’s home, reportedly befriending him and St. Patrick alike. One of the earliest writings about her life, “Broccan’s Hymn,” describes Brigid as a “wonderful ladder for pagan-folk to visit the kingdom of Mary’s Son.” She still links Christianity and contemporary Pagan traditions, as some believe Brigid may not have been a historical figure, but rather a Christianization of the Celtic goddess who shares the same name and many attributes.
Brigid gave freely to the poor, performed wonders from an early age and, after refusing marriage with her eye-popping miracle, entered consecrated life. In one of the best-known stories about Brigid, St. Mel accidentally read her the order of episcopal consecration, which would make her a bishop. When it was brought to Mel’s attention, he replied, “No power have I in this matter, inasmuch as by God hath been given unto her this honor beyond every woman.”
The saint is perhaps best known for the double monastery for men and women she built around 470 in Kildare, which went on to become a center of education, pilgrimage, worship, and hospitality.
Her feast day is February 1, which coincides with the beginning of spring and Imbolc, when Wiccans (plus practitioners of other contemporary Pagan traditions) remember the goddess Brigid; people of many different beliefs mark the occasion by twisting reeds into Brigid’s crosses.
Collect for Brigid of Kildare
O God, whose servant Brigid, kindled with the flame of your love, became a shining light in your church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and walk before you as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (LFF 2022)
Julian of Norwich
Julian of Norwich was born around 1342, likely in Norwich, England. Her life is known from her writing, called Revelations of Divine Love or Showings. Her writings are some of the earliest surviving writings by an English woman.
Very little is known of Julian’s life. Julian may not have been her given name. She was an anchorite at St. Julian’s Church, which may be the source of the name by which history knows her. References to her come from four bequests who name Julian and note her role as an anchorite, that is, a person who withdrew from secular society to live in small enclosures attached to churches and to lead a life focused on prayer and solitude. They generally only experienced outside contact through small windows allowing access to receive the Holy Eucharist and to offer spiritual guidance to clergy and lay people.
We can glean some information about Julian’s life. She had at least two maids who assisted her, as both were named in the bequests. Because her mother was with her during her serious illness, historians believe Julian was likely from a family of means that would have allowed some bending of the rules for anchorites not afforded those who were poorer. Her call to be an anchorite likely meant her family could contribute financially to the church that supported Julian and her consecrated life.
Julian was well known and regarded for her spiritual counsel. The Book of Margery Kempe shares the author’s meetings with Julian as a spiritual director in about 1413, some three years before Julian’s death. Julian experienced a serious illness around her early 30’s. The priest prayed last rites, and as Julian anticipated her death, she had a series of 15 visions as she gazed at the crucifix. She had a final vision the following morning. Julian recovered from her illness, and wrote her visions, which became the known as the Shorter Text version of Revelations of Divine Love. Sometime later, probably about a decade, Julian more deeply reflected on her visions and their meaning for Christians and wrote a longer text, as many of her visions were contrary to the Church’s teachings of Jesus and sin.
Revelations of Divine Love contains many important understandings of God and Jesus. Julian prayed for three graces from God to have a vision. In her visions, she sees and hears insights of God’s love. She sees sin as fitting, even appropriate in some ways, for God’s love to be known and experienced by us imperfect humans and not exclusively a punishment. She equates God’s love in feminine and motherly images and frames the Holy Trinity in domestic terms. God and Jesus are masculine and feminine, not solely one.
Collect for Julian of Norwich
Triune God, Father and Mother to us all, who showed your servant Julian revelations of your nurturing and sustaining love: Move our hearts, like hers, to seek you above all things, for in giving us yourself you give us all. Amen. (LFF 2022)
106 comments on “Brigid of Kildare vs. Julian of Norwich”
While I confess to never having sat down and read Julian of Norwich's writing cover to cover, how can I not vote for someone who wrote:
"Jesus Christ . . . is our true Mother. We received our ‘Being’ from Him and this is where His Maternity starts And with it comes the gentle Protection and Guard of Love which will never ceases to surround us. Just as God is our Father, so God is also our Mother."
I am getting increasing impatient with hearing God the Father language and ONLY God the Father language in Sunday services (liturgy, hymns, all)-- especially when our theology has moved beyond this and there is a wealth of Christian witness stretching back to Julian and much farther.
So Julian gets my vote, even though I can't help but find the whole "anchoress"/enclosure thing troubling.
Also, she shows up as a character in Anya Seton's novel about Katherine Swynford (longtime mistress and finally wife of John of Gaunt) and her wisdom and kindness transform Katherine's life from one of despair to one of courage. (Yes, I know it's just imagined but it still makes me feel like she's someone you would have wanted to meet and sit and talk with.)
Also, the writer and former English major in me loves that she's writing in the vernacular roughly about a decade before or at the same time (or both) as Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales. AND that her "Revelations of Divine Love" is "the earliest surviving English language work by a woman" (per Wikipedia).
I first "met" Julian in Anya Seton's novel when I read it as a teen. Though the encounter with Katherine Swynford is imagined, the story inspired me to learn more about Julian, and I think Ms. Seton totally "got" her cheerful personality and loving wisdom.
These two women should be in opposite brackets so they can meet in the final showdown. On my first trip to Ireland, I visited with the Brigidine Sisters, and they took me to Bridget’s well, where I left a coin as an offering. On the flight home, our plane was delayed after it flew into a flock of geese. I was nervous boarding the plane until I looked out the window at the plane where I discovered that the name of the plane was “St. Bridget.” I relaxed and knew I was in good hands!
I loved that Brigid pretty much single handedly became the first female bishop! I love a fellow strong Irish lass!!
Much though Brigid appeals to my Wiccan soul, and I always love anything/anyone who can make Christianity inclusive of other spiritualities, it's Julian of Norwich all the way to the Golden Halo for me! Her time has COME.
Such a difficult decision. And I voted for Brigid for many reasons but the one that stands out for me is her embrace of pagan and Christian understandings. I am someone who came to Jesus through my study of yoga scriptures. So let's see the combining traditions making the oneness of it all.
Love the wilder than wild Irish stories but Julian is a saint my hubby loves and it's his birthday tomorrow so...
As drawn as I am to Brigid, I know too many people who hold solid associations with Julian. So, she gets the vote today.
I know she is going to get trounced but I had to vote for the family Saint on Dad's side.
I have to go with Julian. A number of years ago I was going through a difficult time and a friend sent me a lovely pewter and glass tea light holder she had purchased at the Washington Cathedral. The pewter top rim was engraved with the “all things shall be well” quote. It has become a cherished gift.
Julian's deeds seemed more holy, especially compared with Brigid's "magic tricks", but I had to vote for Brigid out of ethnic loyalty (I'm of Irish heritage on the paternal side).
While waiting for the endless circle of the dots of doom to accept my vote, I am advising the spirit of Lent Madness that I am voting for Brigid of Kildare. Julian is a great and dedicated woman of God and deserving of all her many honors and accolades over the centuries, but Brigid was out amongst her people, doing God’s work and helping to raise St. Patrick. She links the Pre-Christian Celts to those who inspired Celtic Christians, showing the importance of inclusive acceptance of new Christian beliefs in their ancient culture. These are lessons that we in today’s church should appreciate more
Such a shame that these two were pitted against each other in the first round. While I admire what I know of Julian of Norwich's writings, I've felt inspired by Brigid since I read about her in 2015 Lent Madness. So I had to go with Brigid today.
Heartbreakingly difficult choice today, but I finally voted for Julian since she told us that all shall be well. I really need to hear that these days.
Brigid! Celebrating women finally getting public recognition for leadership and strength! I like "Julian," but her hidden life is not really what most of us need to practice today.
I liked both these ladies. But since this is for fun I voted for Brigid of Kildare because I loved the old movie series Dr Kildare with Lew Ayer's. Keeping up a Kildare tradition for me.
A really hard choice between two such impressive women. I went with Julian because I've had the opportunity to read some of her writings.
The eye-popping was a little bit much for me and I decided Julian was a much better choice especially after seeing all she had done, and her accomplishments in one of the other comments below. Also, not knowing she was a cat owner, in honor of the six that we rescued both from Animal Control here in Pocatello (city Pound) and the hoarder at an old apartment two years ago I opted for Julian. One of our two Snowshoes among the group also came over while I was typing this and touched my hand. Yes he wanted attention, but I also decided after that that I had definitely made the right decision!
I also have always loved the Hazelnut vision Julian had which was talked about when a former rector did a homily on her several years ago.
I prefer genuine mysticism over mythical miracles. I am an Anglican; of course I will pick the English woman.
I know Brigid is going to lose, but I had to vote for her because my only child was born on her feast day!
I tried to vote much much earlier in the day, but the website was not cooperating. The Captcha timing out like I had turned into a robot because the site was taking too long to count my vote. Silly Captcha. And because the website is stuck trying to count my vote it wouldn’t let me recheck the Captcha box. So I had to close the window. Fortunately I remembered after work to try again and this time I was able to vote without issue.
I’m an Oregonian. Born and raised. We take voting seriously. We pioneered the initiative, the referendum, the recall, universal vote-by-mail, automatic voter registration for any citizen over 18 who get a driver’s license or state issued ID, and every mailing address gets delivered in advance of every election a non-partisan election guide explaining ballot measures and listing candidates (including a headshot and up to 500 words submitted by the candidate about why they should be elected) that is funded by the fees people/organizations pay to include their arguments for or against a ballot measure. So the voting issues that have plagued Lent Madness this year irk me. I do hope & pray that these are not signs of something that will pop up in regards to either our Presiding Bishop election or our civil elections this year.
Also, Julian of Norwich had a cat and there is a wonderful book about that cat. I cannot recall the exact name, but it might be called “Julian’s Cat” or something like that.
Anyhoozle, my vote for Julian was not just because she had a cat, but also because I have reservations about Saint Brigid’s historicity and the syncretism in mixing Druid and Christian beliefs. I prefer my Saints to be wholly Christian and Julian of Norwich was definitely that.
“All shall be well and all manner of things shall be well,” is a phrase I shall repeat to myself every time I worry about the survivability of American democracy.