#st columba

[tiffbaxter]

St Columba from my previous post not to be confused with St Columbo

[ghost-kings-court-jester]

I need you to know if you ever think you are too petty, the Irish MONK and SAINT Columba founded the city of Derry, basically by building a monastery there. Still, he was such a controversial figure (he initiated the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne - 561 AD) that he was like exiled to the island of Iona and when he was asked to come back (for reasons I can’t remember) he tied blocks of turf from Iona to his sandals and walked around like that because he refused to ever step foot on Derry soil again. There’s a statue that depicts him like that. He’s a catholic saint. I find it so hilarious.

[scotianostra]

On August 22nd in 565 the Irish monk—and later, saint—Columba had a curious encounter on the banks of the River Ness.

Columba noticed a group of men burying another man by the river, he learned that the man was bitten by a huge monster living in the river and went to investigate. It didn’t take long for the monster to emerge from the water to engulf another man swimming across the river.

St. Columba wasn’t going to stand idle.

Then [St. Columba] observing this, raised his holy hand … and, invoking the name of God, formed the saving sign of the cross in the air, and commanded the ferocious monster, saying, “Thou shalt go no further, nor touch the man; go back with all speed.” Then at the voice of the saint, the monster was terrified, and fled more quickly than if it had been pulled back with ropes. Then the brethren seeing that the monster had gone back, and that their comrade Lugne returned to them in the boat safe and sound, were struck with admiration, and gave glory to God in the blessed man. And even the barbarous heathens, who were present, were forced by the greatness of this miracle, which they themselves had seen, to magnify the God of the Christians.

The episode is regarded by many as the first ever written account of the Loch Ness monster and may explain why the mythical beast remains elusive to this day.

St. Columba: 1, Nessie: 0.

Read more from the life of St Columba here https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/columba-e.asp

[caraecethrae]

Calumcille ann an Alba, Thomas Keyes, 2024, Tarbat Discovery Centre, Ireland, traditional pigments on parchment

[mystic-shebear]

St. Columba of Sens, patron of witches and magic, pray for us

[mackenzieboydfan]

22nd August 565 - St. Columba encountered the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland.

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Columba 521-597 Feast day: June 9 Patronage: Ireland, Scotland, Derry, bookbinders, poets, floods

Saint Columba was born in Ireland of royal descent. He studied for the priesthood under many prominent churchmen, including St. Finnian, eventually becoming abbot. In 563, he sailed to Scotland evangelizing the pagans and establishing monasteries, including the abbey on Iona. Saint Columba is considered one of Irelands 12 Apostles loved by both the Irish and Scots.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[maypoleman1]

8th June

St Columba’s Day

Colmcille (St Columba) on High. Source: BBC Alba and The Northern Scot website

Today is St Columba’s Day. Despite his saintly title “The Dove of Peace” (Colmcille in Gaelic), Columba had a somewhat violent temperament. A dispute over the authorship of a Psalter with a fellow cleric in his native Ireland led to an actual battle between their respective bands of followers, until the Irish Church intervened and sent Columba off to Scotland to convert the still pagan Picts to Christianity. But bad temper and violence accompanied even his missionary work. Slipping on a flounder one day, Columba is said to have cursed the unfortunate fish, leading to its lopsided appearance. He also dealt with a lecherous Pictish noble by “smiting him with an Angel”. Whereas his victim was suitably stunned, the fate of the angel projectile is not known.

Columba’s most famous exploit was rescuing his followers from the Loch Ness Monster, who in an early fifth century appearance, reared threateningly above two of the saint’s disciplines who were attempting to cross the loch in a small boat. Columba ordered the creature not to harm the men and it slipped away under the surface of the lake and has not harmed anyone since. Columba was a highly successful missionary and based himself on the island of Iona where he developed an almost cult like status.

Apparently Columba wore the flower of St John’s Wort to ward off evil. Apparently it still works.