700th birthday of St. Bridget 6.6.2003

St. Brigit of Sweden (1303-1373) was born 700 years ago. Therefore a Euro 0.65 stamp, depicting a wooden sculpture of St. Brigit of Sweden, was issued on 6.6.2003 to honor the founder of the Brigittine Order. The sculpture is a detail from the altar screen in the Naantali Convent Church. The altar screen, Heavenly Coronation of the Virgin Mary, is from the 15th century. Pia gave me this FDC.

Bridget of Sweden or Birgitta Birgersdotter (1303 – 23 July 1373; also Birgitta of Vadstena, Saint Birgitta, Saint Bridget (or Brigid) of Sweden, or in Swedish den heliga Birgitta [literally the Holy Birgitta]) was a mystic and saint, and founder of the Bridgettine Order after the death of her husband of twenty years. She was also the mother of a saint —Saint Catherine of Vadstena. She is one of the six patron saints of Europe, together with Saint Benedict of Nursia, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Teresia Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein).