Celtic dove of Christianity
I would like to introduce you to an amazing figure who changed the fate and perception of the world in Ireland, Scotland, England, and left his mark throughout Europe, including Austria and Germany. His life coincided with a period known as the Age of Saints. The name of this person is St. Columba, also known as ‘Columcille’. During his lifetime, he fulfilled his mission of spreading Christianity, but not that of Rome, but Celtic Christianity. Few people know that such a thing even existed. St Columba, which translates as‘ Dove of the Church’, undertook the difficult task of converting pagan peoples, especially the Pictish tribes. However, all this was because he had committed a crime and, in his self-imposed penance, he chose to spread Celtic Christianity, which is why he left his homeland and set off for the wilds of northern Britain. He was not afraid to cross Hadrian’s Wall, where even the Roman legions were afraid to venture, but more on that later, which Highlander cordially invites you to read. I also ask for your understanding regarding the form of the message, knowing that when a legend is passed down for such a long time, both losses and additions to the story are inevitable. Stories can take different forms or be emphasised differently depending on the interests of the people who tell them. Before I go any further, let me add what Celtic Christianity is all about. It is a branch of Christianity known as Iro-Scottish . This branch, which originally came from Rome, took on a personal Celtic character after the Romans left British territory. It took on a completely different form, more attached to nature, to spread the word of God through the travels of missionaries. This form of Christianity was more friendly to women, placing greater emphasis on spirituality and local traditions. Its symbol was a Celtic cross embedded in a circle, which symbolised the sun and a connection with harmony, as well as the motif of eternity enclosed in a circle.
early life and education
It all began in 521 AD, in the Donegal region near the River Finn in Gallen, Ireland. It was then that Crimthann (his birth name) was born. He was a member of a noble family called Uí Néill. It was this noble background that allowed him to receive a proper upbringing and a good education. However, it should be noted that his family were pagans and he was apparently raised by a priest named Cruithnechan. As a deacon, he studied at the renowned Clonard monastery under the tutelage of the great scholar St. Finnian, becoming known as one of the 12 apostles of Ireland. His teacher made every effort to ensure that Christianity and monastic teachings remained forever in the memory of the future St. Columba. Despite his religious education, he also possessed the skills of an eloquent writer, which manifested itself in the creation of poems and religious songs. He also translated over 300 books from other languages. He was able to use these skills in his life, and Irish kings often sought the advice or help of this talented scholar. He was ordained as a priest and later remained a monk, founding several monasteries in Ireland, one of which was the monastery in Derry, which played a very important religious role in the region.
And here I must admit that the monastic rules he followed were very strict and orthodox, which spoke of his great attachment to the faith without exception. Here is an example: “For those who desire eternal rewards must consider only usefulness and utility. The enjoyment of life must be moderate, just as work must be moderate, because true prudence is to preserve the possibility of spiritual progress through moderation, which punishes the body. For if moderation exceeds the measure, it becomes a vice rather than a virtue, because virtue maintains and preserves many goods. Therefore, we must fast every day, just as we must eat every day; and although we must eat every day, we must satisfy the needs of the body in a more modest and economical way; because we must eat every day in order to go forward every day, pray every day, work every day, and read every day. On poverty and overcoming greed Monks, for whom the world is crucified for Christ and they for the world, must avoid greed, because not only is the possession of excess goods reprehensible to them, but even the desire to possess them. In their case, it is not the possession of goods that is required, but the will; and they, abandoning everything and following the Lord Christ daily with the cross of fear, have treasures in heaven. Matthew 19:21
From Ireland to Dál Riata
Columba’s life changed dramatically when he allegedly actively supported a rebellion against the High King{based in Tara}.This led to a battle in which many people died. This event weighed heavily on Columba’s conscience, so as penance, and with his religious role caught up in the political situation of his family and enemies, he decided to leave Ireland and embark on his life’s mission to convert pagan peoples and gain freedom of action. In addition, pilgrimages abroad were considered an expression of greater devotion and piety than pilgrimages within Ireland. This took place in 563 AD when the 42-year-old missionary arrived on the shores of Agryll in the kingdom of Dál Riata. He immediately set about looking for a place for his monastic seat. After many attempts, he decided on a small island called “Hi“, which was later renamed Iona. Columba wanted to ensure that he could not see Ireland, where the crime had taken place, from this island, so it was the perfect location, and the monastery was built behind the hills, creating a mountain barrier that blocked the view of Ireland. It is not entirely clear from whom he received the island as a gift. Some say it was from King Conall, while others say it was from the King of Pictish Dalriada, whom he had previously convert and who rewarded him with the island. There is another option, which says that before Iona, he was on an unidentified island called “Hinba”.
Strict rules and the island of Iona
Columba and his twelve disciples were able to begin their plan to preach the Gospel among the pagans. However, in order to do so, the missionaries had to devote themselves completely to the cause and implement the belief of ‘not seeking or loving anything of this world,’ which was the great strength and true character of the missionaries. A great example is the book ‘The Monastic Rule of St. Columba, Apostle of Scotland,’ where you will find a collection of rules that guided monastic life. I will mention just a few to illustrate the strict rules. “In addition to obedience and silence, monks had to follow the rule of eating and drinking, which stated that “a monk’s food should be poor and eaten in the evening to avoid overeating. And their drink should be adequate to avoid poisoning. All this was to sustain life and cause no harm”. Being on a deserted island, historians and I, Highlander, ask ourselves how they could organise and build everything so quickly. Could someone have helped them? However, the facts show that in a short period of time, given the conditions at the time, by 574 the island had grown to enormous importance and monks from all over were coming to study, hoping for a change in their lives or enlightenment. Iona was the command centre for other sister houses, such as the unknown Hinba, the Hebrides, the Mag Luinge estate on the island of Tiree and nearby Loch Awe. Adomnán also shows in his work that Columba and other members of the community travelled along the west coast of Scotland, visiting Eigg and Skye in the north and other islands and coasts in the Firth of Lorn and to the south.
The mission to convert the Picts
Columba himself was at the centre of a communication network that included land and sea travel; he maintained contacts with many places in Dal Riada, with his own churches in Ireland, and with Irish leaders and inhabitants of many other places; he knew the Briton king of Strathclyde well enough to consider him a friend; he was able to visit the Picts and probably maintain contact with the churches he is said to have founded among them. It is a mistake to imagine that Iona was remote and isolated from contact with Ireland and Britain. From Dalriada, the Great Glen provided an easy route to the northern part of Pictland, and the Clyde–Forth line gave access to Fife and the southern part of Pictland, as well as to Northumbria. The organisation of Columba’s network of monasteries, not to mention political and other contacts and interests, required regular communication between the islands and with Ireland and mainland Scotland. I would also argue that Columba’s missionary expedition was a well-planned operation that would unite foreign tribes under the banner of Celtic Christianity. Without a doubt, Iona was a very important centre for St Columba, producing manuscripts that were kept as relics for centuries in Ireland. The survival of such books was only possible because Iona remained permanently integrated with the church in Ireland itself. And when the situation demanded it, to move its leadership to a safer location in Kells. Without these strong ties between Iona and Ireland, we would know much less about Iona, Dalriada and the whole of Scotland in the early Middle Ages. St Columba’s monastery on Iona was not just a spiritual stronghold. It was the place where the kings of Dalriada were consecrated and buried. Columba himself was closely related to the kings of Cenél Conaill, the leaders of the northern Uí Néill clan; during his lifetime, more than one of his close relatives became the supreme ruler of the Uí Néill clan, the king of Tara (a hill north-west of Dublin). Moreover, many of his successors as abbot also belonged to the Cenél Conaill clan, suggesting that for at least a hundred years after Columba’s death, Iona remained strongly associated with this branch of the northern Uí Néill clan. It is worth noting that the monks of Derry and Durrow remained in contact with Iona and the family elders, and St Columba himself visited Ireland several times, meeting with the king at Druim Cett.
columbas battle with magicians
I believe that Columba played a significant role in converting the Picts, but that this process did not fully begin during his lifetime. It seems that his travels were also political, and the best indication of his teachings is hidden in poems and songs. St Adomnán, his predecessor, described how the Saint went to King Bride beyond the Druim Alban mountains. In a fortress somewhere in what is now Inverness, he had to fight a duel between light and darkness with his magicians. He reportedly won the duel but did not convert the Pictish king. Columba probably wanted to explore the territory of the powerful king who had ruled the Picts since 558 and ensure the safety of future missionary expeditions to the north. The history of the following century shows that many churches in the Pictish territory were under the authority of Iona. Thanks to St. Columba’s mission, the cultures slowly began to intermingle. There is evidence that the Picts carved monuments using Hiberno-Saxon techniques and that Pictish art influenced Irish manuscripts. However, Columba’s missionaries were not always welcome and were often expelled by the king. Twenty years after St. Columba’s death, we have the example of the martyr St. Donnan, who was defeated at Eigg by Pictish sea warriors.
eternal legacy - the Book of Kells
For at least 34 years of his life, Columba lived as a saint, and at the moment of his death, it is believed that he was sent to heaven. Undoubtedly, as the head of this branch of Christianity, he prepared the community well for generations to come. It is said that when he died, angels marked their presence and a storm arose so that no one could disturb the funeral ceremony, which was performed only by monks for three days. It is said that he was buried in the ground without a coffin and that angels lifted his body (there is no scientific evidence for this). At the end of the 6th century, the cult of the Saint began in earnest. An example of this is the eulogy of the Irish poet Dalian Forgail for Columba in the form of a king. The tomb of St. Columba, his books and even the tunic in which he was buried are tangible relics preserved by his successors. We must not forget the Book of Kells, also known as the Book of Columba, because the history of its creation begins with this holy missionary and scholar. I believe that he is an incredible figure who is inextricably linked to the history of Ireland, Scotland and England at that time. Studying the history of this personality, I realised the great importance of St. Columba’s missions in Ireland, Dalriada, Britain and the Pictish lands. I got the impression that these missions and the preaching of the word of God had a slightly political character. And there is no denying that spiritual centres played a significant role and shaped the outlook for the future. By moving his headquarters to Ione Columba, he broadened the horizons of his missionary work far beyond his family home.
That’s all for this article, but that doesn’t mean the story ends here. I’m leaving the door open so that I can return to this topic in the future. I am already planning a trip to the island of Iona, after which I will, of course, write an article for you. And in the next story, I will describe an amazing article in which I will show you an island on a river that is located on another island and is closely related to the figure of St. Columba.
I would like to thank the authors of the books that provided me with a lot of information:
‘The Picts’ Charles River Editors
‘Life of St. Columba’ Adomnan of Iona
‘St. Columba Novena’ A beacon of Christ on Celtic shores
‘The Monastic Rule of St. Columba’ Apostle of Scotland