Saint Birgitta`s ecstasy
Birgitta is one of the great woman mystics of the middle ages. She was born in 1302, a daughter of a noble family in Sweden. She married early and got 8 children, living the life of a noble lady. The story is that Birgitta had religious visions at some points during childhood, and when her husband died the visions returned, and transformed her life completely. In an important vision, God told her that her calling was to be his bride and mouthpiece. Birgitta let go of her comfortable life and her assets, moved into a monastery and started conveying the visions and messages she received from Jesus Christ and Mother Mary. There were messages about how to live a good christian life aligned with the will of God, about international politics and what God wanted the Pope and kings of England and France to do, and about founding a new monastic order. More than 600 visions, which were written down by Birgitta and her helpers, were spread and read widely. She was also an important counsellor