Birgitta of Sweden

Abstract

Birgitta (or Brigida) Suecica was born in 1302, in Finstad near Upsala in Sweden, the daughter of Birgerus and his wife, Ingeborg,1 both of noble birth. Most of what we know of Birgitta's early childhood is surrounded by pious legends. Ingeborg gave birth to her daughter Birgitta shortly after she had been saved from a very dangerous shipwreck which had caused the deaths of many other people. An angel dressed in bright clothes came to Ingeborg at night in a vision, telling her that she would give birth to a daughter who would be very dear to God, and that this was the reason she had been rescued. She was told that she should take good care of this great gift of God.