St. Columba of Ireland

[MariaRegina]

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04136a.htm

St. Columba

Abbot of Iona, b. at Garten, County Donegal, Ireland, 7 December, 521; d. 9 June, 597. He belonged to the Clan O'Donnell, and was of royal descent. His father's name was Fedhlimdh and that of his mother Eithne. On his father's side he was great-great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages, an Irish king of the fourth century. His baptismal name was Colum, which signifies a dove, hence the latinized form Columba. It assumes another form in Colum-cille, the suffix meaning "of the Churches". He was baptized at Tulach-Dubhglaise, now Temple-Douglas, by a priest named Cruithnechan, who afterwards became his tutor or foster-father. When sufficiently advanced in letters he entered the monastic school of Moville under St. Finnian who had studied at St. Ninian's "Magnum Monasterium" on the shores of Galloway. Columba at Moville monastic life and received the diaconate. In the same place his sanctity first manifested itself by miracles. By his prayers, tradition says, he converted water into wine for the Holy Sacrifice (Adam., II, i). Having completed his training at Moville, he travelled southwards into Leinster, where he became a pupil of an aged bard named Gemman. On leaving him, Columba entered the monastery of Clonard, governed at that time by Finnian, a remarkable, like his namesake of Moville, for sanctity and learning. Here he imbibed the traditions of the Welsh Church, for Finnian had been trained in the schools of St. David. Here also he became one those twelve Clonard disciples known in subsequent history as the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. About this same time he was promoted to the priesthood by bishop Etchen of Clonfad. The story that St. Finnian wished Columba to be consecrated bishop, but through a mistake only priest's orders were conferred, is regarded by competent authorities as the invention of a later age (Reeves, Adam., 226).

See the website for the complete story

 

[Reader Nilus]

The following was taken from Celts and Orthodoxy
Some Celtic Saints reached a very high degree of spiritual life. Revelations of the uncreated Divine Light (cæleste lumen, divina lux) accompanied St. Columcille of Iona, as recorded in the Saint’s Life written by St. Adomnan. Here are two such instances.
‘At another time when the holy man was living in the island of Hinba, the Grace of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon him abundantly and in an incomparable manner, and continued marvellously for the space of three days, so that for three days and as many nights, remaining within a house barred, and filled with heavenly light, he allowed no one to go to him, and he neither ate nor drank. From that house streams of immeasurable brightness were visible in the night, escaping through chinks of the door leaves, and through the key-holes. And spiritual songs, unheard before, were heard being sung by him. Moreover, as he afterwards admitted in the presence of a very few men, he saw, openly revealed, many of the secret things that have been hidden since before the world began. Also everything that in the Sacred Scriptures is dark and most difficult became plain, and was shown more clearly than the day to the eyes of his purest heart. And he lamented that his foster-son Baithene was not there, who if he had chanced to be present during those three days, would have written down from the mouth of the blessed man very many mysteries, both of past ages and of ages still to come, mysteries unknown to other men, and also a number of interpretations of the sacred books.’

In a second narrative, St. Adomnan speaks about a disciple of the Saint named Berchan, who, contrary to the Saint’s prohibition, came at night to his cell and saw through the key-hole that his lodging was filled with the glory of heavenly brightness (cælestis splendore claritudinis).
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St Columba's dismissal Hymn
Dismissal Hymn (Tone 5)
By Thy God-inspired life thou didst embody both the mission and the dispersion of the Church, most glorious Father Columcille. Using thy repentence and voluntary exile, Christ our God raised thee up as a beacon of the True Faith, an Apostle to the heathen and an indicator of the Way of salvation. Wherefore, O holy one, cease not to intercede for us that our souls may be saved.
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Jeff the Finn

 

[Suzannah]

This is so joyous to me! It is a sign that I am home! This is one of my beloved family and clan Niall!
How wonderful that is. I have to read everything you have posted and get a book about his life and ministry. I am so touched by his love for the Scottish people, given later history. Is it not possible that God gave him a "vision" for the future, that the Scots and the Irish would one day be at war?

 

[MariaRegina]

Adomnan of Iona : Life of St. Columba
The Life of St Columba by St Adomnan

Courtesy of Jeff the Finn

 

[MariaRegina]

From what I read in English history, the Picts were a very warlike people -- and St. Columba had the strength of a martyr to attempt to convert them -- which he did.

 

[Suzannah]

Thank you so much for all this information. I have been very touched to find a clan member as a Saint, no less! I have updated my CF homepage in honor of St. Columba.

 

[MariaRegina]

Thank you so much for all this information. I have been very touched to find a clan member as a Saint, no less! I have updated my CF homepage in honor of St. Columba.

Great homepage Suzannah! I like the ships pictured there also. Great read about St. Columba.

Now I know that your icon is that of St. Columba. Good move!

 

[Suzannah]

Thank you!!!! I like the ships too, because I see myself, my search in it.

I am going to the library today to look for the books about him !

 

[brewmama]

How nice to see this thread! My church is named for St. Columba, and he is our patron.
Here's a link

http://stcolumbachurch.org/aboutstcol.cfm

 

[Suzannah]

brewmama,
Thanks for the link! I really enjoyed the fact/fiction page on this wonderful Saint.

 

[ChoirDir]

Susannah,
God and His Saints work in mysterious ways. It seems that St. Columba is a true inspiration and guiding force for you in your becoming Orthodox. Pray to him for intervention that will help you in your conversion and family crisis.
God bless

 

[Montalban]

I would like to claim St. Columba for Scotland.

He was born in Ireland, but his monastry, on Iona, is in Scotland, which is where he did his missionary work. He was in fact Scotland's patron saint until the kingdom changed to St. Andrew in order to curry favour with the Popes.

As a bit of trivia, the first recorded sighting of the Loch Ness Monster is in relation to St. Columba - who was apparently preaching by the side of the loch, when a boy, hearing that the famous saint began to swim across to him. Up popped the monster and St. Columba turned around and told the monster where to go.

Scots can thank Ireland for him, so go raibh mile maith agat* (a thousand thanks) but he's 'ours' too!


*Oddly enough, I don't know this phrase in Scots-Gaelic

 

[Suzannah]

Montalban: I'm willing to share him with you! Glad you enjoy him as much as I do. I'm reading his biography and it's fascinating. I read the same story about the Loch Ness monster!