After seventy years devoted to the practice of the most sublime virtues, corporal infirmities admonished the saint that the time of her dissolution was nigh. It was now half a century since, by her holy vows, she had irrevocably consecrated herself to God, and, during that period, great results had been attained, her holy institute having widely diffused itself throughout the green isle, and greatly advanced the cause of religion in the various districts in which it was established. Like _a river of peace_, its progress was steady and silent; it fertilized every region fortunate enough to receive its waters, and caused them to bloom forth spiritual flowers and fruits with all the sweet perfume of evangelical fragrance. The remembrance of the glory she had procured to the Most High, as well as the services rendered to dear souls ransomed by the precious blood of her divine Spouse, cheered and consoled Bridget in the infirmities inseparable from old age. Her last illness was soothed by the presence of Nennidh, a priest of eminent sanctity, over whose youth she had watched with pious solicitude, and who was indebted to her prayers and instructions for his great proficiency in sublime perfection. [6] The day on which our abbess was to terminate her course (Feb. 1, 523) having arrived, she received from the hands of this saintly priest the blessed body and blood of her Lord in the Divine Eucharist, and as it would seem, immediately after her spirit passed forth, and went to possess Him in that heavenly country where He is seen _face to face_ and enjoyed without danger of ever losing Him. Her body was interred in the church adjoining her convent, but was some time after exhumed, and deposited in a splendid shrine near the high altar. Cogitosus, who lived two centuries later, thus describes the church which then contained this valuable treasure: "The church of Kildare enclosed an ample space of ground, and was of a height proportioned to its extent. The building was divided into three compartments, each one of them remarkable for the vastness of its dimensions, yet by the ingenuity of the architect, one roof skilfully adapted, covered the entire. The eastern division of the structure, terminated at north and south by two of its exterior walls, while a wooden partition extending to the north and south, and separated by a small interstice from the eastern extremity of the church, formed the enclosure of the sanctuary. Adjoining the latter, and at its northern and southern points, were two doors, by one of which the bishop and his assistant entered to celebrate the Holy Mass, and perform the other public offices; while by the other the nuns were admitted on the days on which they were to receive the Holy Communion. The nave of the church was again divided into two parts with separate entrances. One division was appropriated to the male portion of the congregation, the other was exclusively reserved for females.