ORDER OF THE MOST HOLY SAVIOR AND OF SAINT BRIDGET. - Founded, between 1344 and 1346, under the title of «O. of the Most Holy S.», by St. Bridget of Sweden, who dictated its Rule. It comprised nuns and religious with double monasteries, dependent on the abbesses. The mother house at Vadstena was erected by the foundress herself.
For more than two centuries the O. was a center of spiritual life for all of Sweden. The bl. Urban V in the spring of 1367 approved its Rule vivae vocis oraculo at Montefiascone; Urban VI, with the bull His quae pro divini cultus augmento (3 December 1378) confirmed it; other confirmations
(from Antonin de l'Assomption, op. cit.)
ORDER OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY - The oldest seal of the Order (1221).
they had from John XXIII (1415) and from Martin V (1419). The O. spread especially in the Scandinavian and Germanic countries; the first two foundations in Italy were at Florence (1394) and at Rome (1396), in the house where St. Bridget had died. The 15th century marks the era of its diffusion; in 1515 the O. counted 27 monasteries; but its development was not free of crises.
The Lutheran reform of the 16th century destroyed it almost everywhere; only a few foundations transferred to France and to Portugal. In Belgium there arose the Fratres novissimi Brigittini approved by Gregory XVI, and in Spain Marina d'Escobar around 1600 founded the Brigittines of the Recollection. At present only the female monasteries of Altomünster; Sion, at Stouth-Brent; Uden and Weert in the Netherlands exist. In Spain: Valladolid, Vitoria, Ascozia, Paredes de Nava, Palencia. Two are in Mexico.
Through the work of Mother Elisabeth Hesselblad in Rome in 1911 a new Congregation of sisters of the ancient O. of the Most Holy S. began, which soon spread to England, Sweden, Switzerland (Lugano) and India. On 7 July 1940 it received the decree of praise and the temporary approval of the Constitutions. By rescript of 12 Sept. 1942 the title of O. of the Most Holy S. (commonly called of St. Bridget) was recognized for it, which later became O. of the Most Holy S. and of St. B. On 2 Dec. of the same year it passed under the jurisdiction of the S. Congregation of Prop. Fide, which on 17 July 1947 approved the statutes of the secular Oblates and on 2 Dec. 1949 revised the Constitutions and approved them "ad septennium".
The purpose of the Order is the work of the conversions of the brethren of Scandinavia and also of those who have separated from the unity of the Church.