Meet the holy women who inspired the great St. Patrick

It’s no coincidence that many great saints had a close friend and collaborator of the opposite sex. St. Francis and St. Clare, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, St. Benedict and St. Scholastica … There are so many examples. God designed men and women to work together in a powerful way for the sake of the Kingdom. 

The great St. Patrick was no exception. He worked alongside and gained inspiration from holy women of his era. On this feast of the great Irish patron saint, let’s learn about the women who inspired him. 

Did you know St. Patrick had a sister who is also a saint? I just learned this, and I don’t know about you, but my mind was blown. She was a wife and mother who raised a large family of faithful children.

St. Brigid worked alongside St. Patrick to establish Christianity in Ireland. As an abbess, she held an important leadership role, and is often depicted holding a bishop’s staff. 

The Book of Armagh, a 9th-century Irish illuminated manuscript, describes the close unity of heart and mind between these great Irish saints:

St. Patrick did not leave many writings, but in one of the two books of his that we have, he described the courageous witness of the enslaved women he met. 

St. Patrick himself was “one of the earliest identifiable anti-slavery activists in western civilization,” which makes sense given that he was enslaved himself as a young man before he escaped and then returned to evangelize Ireland. 

Although forbidden to practice their Christian faith, these brave women found ways to secretly practice their faith and keep up their spirits. Their names are lost to history, but we can assume they are great saints in Heaven.

St. Patrick found their witness inspiring. He wrote,

It’s always inspiring to see examples of men and women working together for the sake of the Kingdom --- the spiritual friendship between holy men and women is “a divine invention.”