St. Bridget of Sweden Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Bridget of Sweden was a wife and mother in the Middle Ages. After her husband died, God called her to establish a religious order. St. Bridget set out to accomplish many things in her life, but she didn’t live to see them come to fruition. St. Bridget is a great saint to pray to because of her virtue and perseverance when we struggle with failure or disappointment.
Let’s use this novena to ask for St. Bridget’s intercession!
About St. Bridget of Sweden
St. Bridget of Sweden was born in 1303 to pious parents who were related to Sweden’s reigning royal family. When Bridget was ten years old, her mother died. Bridget and her two siblings then lived with her mother’s sister.
When Bridget was a young girl, she had a dream of the Crucified Christ. He told her that His sufferings are caused by those who despise His love. The dream made a deep impression on young Bridget.
When Bridget was still in her early teen years, she married a young man named Ulf. The two of them had eight children together, and their marriage was very happy. One of their children, Catherine, has been canonized as St. Catherine of Sweden.
Because of Bridget’s relation to the royal family, she was asked to serve at court as a lady in waiting. She spent many years serving in court. St. Bridget also devoted time and energy to works of charity, especially toward unwed mothers in need of assistance.
In the year 1344 when Bridget was in her early 40s, her husband Ulf became ill and died. She mourned the loss of her dearly-loved husband, but God soon called her to a new vocation.
St. Bridget set out answer God’s call to establish a new religious order for women, the Order of the Most Holy Savior, or the Bridgettines. Christ also asked her to help bring about the return of the Pope from France to his rightful place in Rome.
But neither this return of the papacy, nor the official instatement of her religious order occurred during St. Bridget’s lifetime. Though St. Bridget worked virtuously toward the tasks that God called her to accomplish, her work never reached fruition until after she died.
During her life, St. Bridget received many visions from God. She especially wanted to honor the sufferings of Christ during His Passion. He revealed to her that He suffered 5480 blows on His Body during His Passion, and He told her how she might honor them.
Christ told her that she should recite fifteen Our Fathers and fifteen Hail Marys, along with specific prayers that He would teach her, every day for a year. By doing so, He told her she would honor each of the blows He received with a prayer.
Many of St. Bridget’s other visions are recorded in the Revelations of St. Bridget. They include revelations about Christ’s birth, the life of Mary, and Christ’s Passion.
Saint Bridget of Sweden’s Feast Day:
July 23
Why Pray the St. Bridget of Sweden Novena?
St. Bridget of Sweden is the patron saint of Sweden. She has also been called the patron saint of failures, because so many things that she set out to accomplish were never completed during her lifetime. God can do great things with our failures through the intercession of St. Bridget!
Citizens of Sweden can pray for St. Bridget’s intercession for their country. You can also ask for prayers from St. Bridget if you’re struggling with feelings of failure, or if you’re frustrated with a failure in your life. St. Bridget is also a great saint to pray to for intercession for marriage or family life, since she was a wife and a mother of eight.
You can pray the St. Bridget of Sweden Novena for any intention!
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena Prayers
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the holiness she practiced during her time as a devoted wife and mother of eight children.
St. Bridget, you married your husband Ulf when you were still very young, as was custom in your society. But despite your young age, you carried out the responsibilities of a wife faithfully and joyfully.
You loved your husband dearly, and together with him you set an example of holiness for your eight children. You even raised your daughter Catherine to become so holy that she was eventually canonized as St. Catherine of Sweden.
Pray for me, as I carry out the duties of my state in life each day, that I may practice virtue as faithfully as you did.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the spirit of love and charity she showed to those in need during her years as a wife and mother.
St. Bridget, you knew well what a blessing it was to have a loving husband. You were well provided-for during your years as a wife and mother, and you were always aware of the needs of the less fortunate.
While you were busy with both the duties of your position at court and of your own family life, you devoted time and energy to serving those in need. You took particular care to assist unwed mothers in need of help. You always practiced this charity because of your love of God.
Pray for me, that I may be aware of the needs of the less fortunate, and that I may serve them out of love for God as you did.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the holiness with which she lived out her vocations.
St. Bridget, you bore eight children during your marriage to Ulf. During your time as a wife and mother, you had many responsibilities, even serving as a lady in waiting at court. But despite the many demands on your time and energy, you raised your children to be holy.
Together with your husband, you brought your children up in the faith. You were able to lay such a strong foundation of faith and holiness in your children that one of them later became a saint.
Pray for me, that I may be as faithful and holy as you were, as I live out my daily life. Pray that I, too, may bring others to holiness when I am called to do so.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the faithfulness and holiness she lived out during her marriage.
St. Bridget, you were a devoted wife to your husband throughout your marriage. You knew that the vocation of marriage was a holy calling from God, and you did your best to faithfully carry out the duties of a holy spouse.
You loved your husband Ulf very much. When he died, you mourned his loss deeply, knowing that your marriage had been a gift from God.
Pray for me, that I may recognize the holiness of the gifts God gives me. And pray that all people may recognize the sanctity of marriage.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the holiness and devotion to You she kept even amidst the deep pain of loss over her husband’s death.
St. Bridget, you spent many happy years with your husband Ulf. Together you had eight children and you raised them in holiness. When Ulf died, you were deeply saddened by the loss of his companionship.
But despite your grief and pain at Ulf’s passing, you remained faithful to God. You did not despair or harbor anger at God for taking your husband sooner than you might have expected. Instead, you remained open to whatever else God might be asking of you.
Pray for me, that I may be as holy and faithful as you were, even when I am pained and saddened by my life’s circumstances.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate the openness to Your will that she showed when You called her to a new vocation after her husband’s death.
St. Bridget, you spent many happy years in the vocation of wife and mother. But after your beloved husband died, God called you to embark on a new path.
You had only ever known the vocation of a lay person. But despite this, you did not hesitate to begin an entirely new way of life when God called you to be His bride late in your life. When He asked you to establish a new religious order and to help bring the Pope back to Rome, you happily tried to do His will.
Pray for me, that I may be open to God’s will for me, even when He calls me to do unexpected or difficult things.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate her desire to serve You and her readiness to do Your will when You called her to establish a new religious order.
St. Bridget, you had already served God faithfully in the vocation of marriage for many years when He called you to a new path in life. Though you had only ever known life as a wife and mother, you did not hesitate to embark on the new mission of religious life when God asked it of you.
Not only were you ready and willing to become Christ’s bride in religious life, you even accepted the call to establish a new religious order. You did all that was in your power to carry out this task that God asked of you.
Pray for me, that I may be ready and willing to do what God asks of me. And pray for all men and women called to a religious vocation.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of virtue. Help us to imitate her faithfulness amidst failure and discouragement.
St. Bridget, God asked you to do many new and difficult things after your husband died. He not only called you to a religious vocation but also to establish a new religious order for women. He also asked you to begin the work of bringing the Pope back to Rome from France.
Though you faithfully set out to do as God asked you, none of the work you began came to fruition during your lifetime. But despite what must have seemed like complete failure in your goals, you remained faithful and did not give in to despair.
Pray for me, that I may remain faithful when my plans and works seem to fail. Pray that I may trust in God as fully as you did.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Bridget of Sweden Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Bridget of Sweden as an example of devotion to You. Help us to imitate her devotion to Your Passion and to have a deep appreciation for all that You suffered for us.
St. Bridget, you had a devotion to Christ Crucified since you were very young. You received many visions from God concerning Christ’s life and His Passion, and you particularly wanted to honor the blows He received during His Passion.
Christ answered the desire of your heart by revealing to you that He received 5480 blows on His Body during His Passion. He gave you a set of prayers to say each day to honor those blows, and He promised many graces to anyone who honored Him in this way.
Pray for me, that I, too, may have a deep love for Christ Crucified.
Please also pray for (mention your intention here).
St. Bridget of Sweden, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.