A Dictionary of Saintly Women/Briga (3)
St. Briga (3), or Brigh, Feb. 1. End of 5th or beginning of 6th century. An abbess in Leinster, contemporary and friend of St. Brigid (2). At one of her frequent visits to St. Briga’s convent, when the nuns had washed the feet of their beloved guest, one of them, who had long lost the use of hers from gout, put them into the same water. Before she had time to dry them, they were perfectly well. When Brigid, Briga, and the nuns were at dinner, they noticed that Brigid kept her eyes fixed on one spot. They asked her the reason. She said she saw the devil sitting there amongst them. At Briga’s request she made the sign of the cross on her eyes, and so enabled her to see him too. He had an immense head, a black face, fiery eyes, flaming breath, thick knees and ankles. Brigid asked him why he and his companions bore so fierce a hatred towards the human race. He answered, “Because we do not wish any one to enjoy the glories of heaven, since we ourselves have lost all hope of entering there.” “Ah!” said the saint, “how different is my inclination! If I could not go to heaven myself, I should wish to open to all others the gates that I knew to be shut against me.” She then asked what business he had in a religious community. He told her that he was harboured there by one of the nuns, who did his will rather than that of her ostensible Master. Brigid ascertained from him the name of the nun, and then opened her eyes with the sign of the cross, that she might see what a hideous and cruel master she served. The nun, with tears, besought her prayers, and promised to amend her life. Brigid then banished the devil from amongst them, and the nun led a holy, penitential life, and was saved. Boll., AA. SS., in the fifth Life of St. Brigid.