Saint Bridget of Ireland or Bridget of Kildare

Rare Saint Bridget of Ireland carved on oak from the 15th century.
The saint is represented standing, a cow at her feet symbolizing the multiplication of milk (see / Caption below)
As abbess, she wears the veil and the wimple and also wears a crown in reference to her royal parentage.
She is wearing a dress with a wide neckline drawing a beautiful fall of vertical pleats on the front, and is wrapped in a coat tied with a floral tie and falling in broken pleats on the right side.
Her face expresses infinite gentleness and great kindness.
Saint Bridget of Ireland is considered the founder of the first double convent, and protector of fertility and breastfeeding.

Dimensions
H. 67 cm x W. 24 cm x D. 11 cm

France
Oak
15th century
Both hands are missing.


Life and Legend
Born in 451 in Ireland, Bridget of Kildare is one of the most famous saints of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Renowned for her immense beauty and honored for her devotion, she is one of the Irish Patron Saints.
Daughter of a Scottish pagan king and druid, she was named Brigitte in homage to the Great Celtic Goddess Birgit, mother, sister and daughter of all the Celtic gods.
Converted and baptized by Saint Patrick, Brigitte refuses suitors attracted by her beauty. Still very young, she retired to a few kilometers from Dublin and built a cell under a large oak tree around which several women gathered and considered her as a mother.
She founded with her companions a convent, around which the city of Kildare was formed (Kill: church and Dara: oak). This monastery gradually brought together monks and nuns for the first time in Europe, and she became the founder of the first double convent, where monks and nuns could practice their religion in peace.
Legend has it that Saint Bridget owned a cow. One day, she was visited by several bishops, without having enough to feed such respectable guests. Recommending herself to God, she imagined milking three times in the same day the only cow she had. She drew from it as much milk as three good dairy cows could give.
Venerated in many places, she is both the protector of fertility and breastfeeding and is mainly invoked to protect women and children, in reference to lactation and the protection of young mothers, so that they have enough milk to feed their children.