,,the   ,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,columba     
,,abbot ,,and ,,apostle ,,of ,,the      
,,northern ,,picts      ,,the ,,life    
,,of   ,,saint ,,columba1 ,,or          
,,columkille1   ,,abbot1   ,,apostle    
,,of ,,the ,,picts1   ,,and ,,patron    
,,of ,,the ,,monastic ,,order ,,in      
,,ireland4   ,iste est qui ante ,deum   
magnos virtutes operatus est1 et de omni
 corde suo laudavit ,dominum4  ,this is 
he who before ,god operated wonders1 and
 with all his heart praised the ,lord4  
,,chapter ,i4  ,,birth ,,and ,,holy     
,,dispositions ,,of ,,st4               
,,columba--,,his ,,ecclesiastical       
,,training ,,at ,,st4 ,,finnian',s--,,he
 ,,receives ,,the ,,holy ,,order ,,of   
,,deacon  ,,after having attempted to   
write the life of our illustrious ,st4  
,patrick1 with that of his spiritual    
daughter ,bridget1 the saintly patroness
 of ,ireland1 it is but meet1 and may be
 expected1 that we should also endeavor 
to furnish the biography of the holy    
,columba1 or ,columkille1 who1 living   

almost in the same era1 filled with the 
same spirit1 and enclosed in the same   
shrine1 has ever been deemed with them  
one of ,erin's chief patrons1 his name  
being interwoven with theirs in the     
reminiscences of ,irish piety4  ,this   
glorious saint was born about the close 
of the year #eba1 so that as a spiritual
 star1 he began to rise in the firmament
 of the ,irish ,church1 just as ,st4    
,bridget had disappeared therefrom to   
shine in heaven4 ,his birth and future  
eminence were predicted during the      
lifetime of ,st4 ,patrick1 perhaps by   
the holy apostle himself4 ,by his       
father1 ,mancanava1 the blood of the    
,nialls1 princes of ,tyrconnel1 flowed  
in his veins1 while by his mother       
,aethena1 who drew her origin from an   
illustrious family in ,leinster1 he was 
connected with ,caithir1 the reigning   
monarch of all ,ireland4  ,previous to  
his birth1 a dream or vision of singular
 import admonished ,aethena that her    
child was to be specially blessed by the

 ,most ,high4 ,while asleep one night1  
it seemed to her that an angel          
approached1 bearing in his hand a robe  
of unparalleled beauty1 which having    
presented to her1 he after a short      
interval withdrew1 and spreading it     
forth suffered the wind to carry it     
away4 ,disappointed at this strange     
proceeding1 ,aethena anxiously inquired 
why she had not been permitted to retain
 this beauteous garment1 and her        
interrogatory was met by the reply that 
it could not be allowed to remain with  
her4 ,meanwhile1 and as the angel spoke1
 ,aethena kept her eyes steadfastly     
fixed on the mantle which was now       
balanced in the firmament2 and as it    
ascended towards the heavens she        
perceived that its dimensions became so 
expanded1 as that it extended over      
mountains1 forests1 and distant plains4 
,the novelty and grandeur of the        
spectacle increased her regret for the  
loss of so extraordinary and magnificent
 a costume2 but while feeling thus      

sadly1 a voice consoled her with those  
words3 ,woman1 grieve not1 for you shall
 bring forth a son1 who will guide      
innumerable souls to heaven1 and be     
counted among the prophets of the ,most 
,high4 ,this promise must surely have   
brought comfort to ,aethena2 our        
business is now to show how it was      
fulfilled4 ,in early youth1 or we might 
perhaps say infancy1 ,columba1 owing to 
the piety of his parents1 was committed 
to the tutelage of the venerable priest 
by whom he had been purified in the     
waters of baptism4 ,even then1 the whole
 tenor of his conduct showed how        
strongly imbued he was with religious   
principles1 for even then did he furnish
 presages of his future sanctity4 ,from 
his very childhood1 says ,adamnan his   
biographer1 ,columba was devoted to     
those exercises of piety which befitted 
his tender years2 and so holily         
solicitous was he for the preservation  
of spotless purity of mind and body1    
that by the superior sanctity of his    

manners1 though dwelling upon earth1 he 
was already ripe for heaven4 ,but it was
 not alone by the pious life of the     
saintly ,columba that the special       
predilection of heaven in his regard was
 made manifest2 by the exercise of ,his 
omnipotence1 too1 did the ,lord display 
the extraordinary love with which ,he   
cherished him4 ,it happened1 that while 
still abiding with ,cruthenan1 the holy 
priest who1 as we have said1            
superintended his education1 the good   
ecclesiastic returning home one day     
after the discharge of some sacred      
function1 beheld as he approached his   
dwelling1 the house illuminated with a  
pure and serene light1 and as he entered
 he saw over the head of his pupil      
,columba1 a luminous globe of fire as if
 suspended in the air1 from which there 
was emitted a clear and steady radiance4
 ,filled with amazement at this         
marvellous scene1 the venerable man     
prostrated himself on the floor and     
admired in profound silence this        

expressive indication of the spiritual  
effulgence with which the soul of his   
favored charge was illuminated by       
heaven4 ,indeed1 ,columba was singularly
 favored in various ways2 even when     
still a little boy1 he recited the      
,psalms together with ,brugacius1 bishop
 at ,rathenaigh1 whither he had         
accompanied his preceptor1 whom the     
prelate had invited to spend with him   
the ,christmas festival4 #a  ,but the   
time had now arrived when it became     
necessary to direct more particularly   
the attention of the young saint to     
those studies in which candidates for   
the sacerdotal ministry should be       
skilled1 and to afford him an           
opportunity of pursuing such learning   
with advantage1 he was transferred from 
the house of ,cruthenan to the school of
 ,moville1 whose president was the great
 ,st4 ,finnian1 renowned among his      
countrymen for learning and sanctity4   
,in early life he had had the good      
fortune to be placed under the care of  

,colman and ,clan1 two ecclesiastics of 
whom there is honorable mention in the  
ancient annals of ,ireland2 by their    
advice he passed over into ,britain in  
order to profit by the lectures which   
were delivered by ,nennius at his       
seminary of ,whitethorn1 and after some 
time1 he returned to ,ireland and began 
to impart to the youth of his own       
vicinity1 in a building appropriated for
 the purpose1 that learning which he    
himself had journeyed so far to acquire4
 ,the fame of this new teacher soon     
spread through the island1 and drew to  
his school numbers of the youth who     
aspired to the service of the altar4    
,columba1 among others1 here devoted    
several years to sacred studies1 and    
with all the success which had been     
anticipated4 ,his proficiency in        
evangelical perfection was equally      
rapid1 so that he was soon raised to the
 holy order of ,deaconship4 ,while      
officiating in that character on one    
occasion1 his ministry was honored by   

heaven in the following extraordinary   
manner1 the miracle of ,cana being      
renewed at his instance4 ,the bishop of 
the diocess on a certain morning being  
about to celebrate the ,eucharistic     
sacrifice1 ,columba1 who was charged    
with the care of the altar1 by his      
office1 found they had no wine in the   
monastery1 and moreover1 that it could  
not be procured until after considerable
 delay4 ,without more ado1 he went to a 
neighboring fountain1 and having filled 
a vessel1 which he had brought with him1
 from its limpid source1 he prayed that 
the name of the ,lord might be once more
 magnified by a renewal of the wonder   
effected at the marriage feast4 ,he was 
heard2 for on the instant1 the liquid   
element again felt the power of the     
,divinity1 and ,columba1 full of rapture
 at the sight1 exclaimed1 as he returned
 to the assembled clergy1 ,here is wine1
 which the ,lord ,jesus has furnished   
for the celebration of ,his ,mysteries6 
#b  ,when the period arrived which      

terminated the holy deacon's residence  
in the monastery of ,st4 ,finnian1      
feeling desirous of becoming still more 
perfect in virtue and learning1 he did  
not on leaving ,moville at once return  
home1 but for some time placed himself  
under the tuition of a certain master   
named ,germanus1 who had recently come  
from a foreign country1 and had already 
acquired a high reputation in ,ireland  
for piety and literature4 ,the same     
special ,providence who had hitherto    
watched over and illustrated the opening
 career of our saint1 still continued   
its loving care of him4 ,his new        
preceptor clearly saw that ,columba was 
a cherished object of the divine        
predilection1 having among other proofs 
less equivocal1 evidence that the       
,almighty on a certain occasion revealed
 to him the judgment which he was about 
to visit on a guilty individual4  #a    
,dr4 ,lanigan1 ch4 #aa1 vol4 #b1        
,eccles4 ,hist4 #b ,adamnan1 ,book #ast1
 chap4 #ast4    ,,chapter ,,ii4  ,,st4  

,,columba ,,founds ,,the ,,monasteries  
,,of ,,tyrconnel ,,and ,,durrough-- ,,he
 ,,is ,,ordained ,,priest--,,glorious   
,,testimony ,,to ,,his ,,sanctity--,,he 
,,establishes ,,other ,,religious       
,,houses--,,and ,,finally ,,leaves      
,,ireland ,,for ,,hy ,,in ,,the         
,,hebrides4  ,,but the time at length   
came in which our saint was to do great 
things for ,god1 and to realize the     
projects which he had long conceived for
 promoting ,his glory4 ,the fervent     
,columba was now in his twenty-fifth    
year1 and perceiving from the example of
 the holy men his contemporaries1 as    
well as those who had already passed to 
a glorious immortality1 that the great  
object which he had in view would be    
best attained by multiplying throughout 
the land monastic institutions1 he      
determined on laboring for their        
establishment1 that the edifying example
 of the members should be every where   
felt2 their observance of evangelical   
perfection invariably furnishing a      

powerful incentive to the national      
piety4  ,convinced that his native      
locality had a stronger claim on his    
exertions in the good cause1 to         
,tyrconnel did ,columba wend his way to 
solicit from his princely relatives     
still in power1 a convenient site for a 
monastery1 with as much of the adjoining
 land as might be deemed sufficient for 
its maintenance4 ,he succeeded3 such a  
request was quite in accordance with the
 noble and generous spirit that has ever
 characterized true ,irish piety1 and   
the monastery was erected full soon1 on 
a gentle eminence adorned with a rich   
grove of majestic oaks1 whence it       
derived its appellative of ,doire       
,calgaich4 ,when the internal economy of
 the new fabric was satisfactorily      
arranged1 when hymns of praise and      
canticles of joy were sung1 and above   
all1 when the adorable ,victim of our   
salvation was offered within its sacred 
precincts1 the holy founder prepared to 
visit other parts of the country to make

 them participators in similar          
blessings4 ,dairmagh1 now ,durrough1 was
 the next territory in which he erected 
a monastery2 and here too were his      
efforts blessed with most complete      
success2 for in a short time this       
structure might compete with its parent 
house at ,tyrconnel1 in confering great 
advantages on the community at large1 as
 well as upon its immediate vicinity4   
,the period was now at hand when        
,columba was to be elevated to the      
priesthood2 and how did he prepare to   
enter upon and receive so great a       
dignity8 ,we may imagine something of   
the holy reverence1 the angelic fervor1 
which he who had been brought up in the 
shadow of the sanctuary1 and inviolably 
faithful to his first grace1 brought to 
the priesthood2 his great interior      
lights1 the result of his purity of     
heart and strict union with ,god1       
enabling him to see more clearly that   
none but saints1 or such as resolutely  
strive for the perfection of sanctity1  

are fit to stand before the ,lord to    
minister in ,his sight1 to interpose    
between ,him and ,his people1 and so to 
speak1 to make1 by the word of their    
mouth1 the sacred body of the ,incarnate
 ,word ,christ ,jesus4 ,it was to       
,etchen1 bishop of ,meath1 that the holy
 candidate had recourse for ordination4 
,this prelate was descended from an     
illustrious family in ,leinster1 but he 
had stronger claims to the veneration of
 his countrymen than any which can be   
derived from a glorious ancestry4       
,etchen1 notwithstanding his noble      
birth1 was remarkable for apostolic     
simplicity1 and emulating the example of
 the first founders of the ,catholic    
church1 was distinguished for the       
practice of the most exalted virtues4   
,columba on arriving at his habitation1 
found this humble prelate at the plough1
 discharging during the hours which his 
episcopal functions left free1 the      
laborious duties of a husbandman4 ,he   
was welcomed with all that kindness and 

charity which religion inspires1 and    
having made known the object of his     
visit1 was duly ordained priest4 ,some  
of our ancient writers assert1 that in  
commendatory letters from some of the   
,irish bishops which ,columba produced  
on this occasion1 there were            
instructions to ,etchen to promote him  
not only to the priesthood1 but even to 
the episcopacy1 but that it happened    
through some inadvertence on the part of
 the prelate1 that this was overlooked4 
,when apprized of his mistake1 he urged 
the new priest to permit him to supply  
the rite of consecration unintentionally
 omitted1 but ,columba conceiving that  
the occurrence was directed by divine   
,providence1 could not be prevailed upon
 to acquiesce1 and formed the resolution
 which he ever after faithfully kept1 of
 remaining for life in the subordinate  
rank of the priesthood4  ,after his     
ordination1 ,columba returned to        
,durrough1 and ere departing thence met 
with one of those trials which are not  

wanting to prove the humility and       
meekness of the saints of ,god1 but     
which ended to his glory4 ,the holy man1
 it seems1 had adopted certain measures 
regarding his monastery1 which being    
disapproved of by some of the           
neighboring prelates1 were deemed a     
necessary subject of inquiry at a synod 
then holding1 in a place named          
,geisille1 in the vicinity of ,durrough2
 and the result of this inquiry was a   
resolution to visit the holy founder    
with an ecclesiastical censure4         
,apprized of the matter under debate1   
the saint proceeded to the synod1 which 
he reached just as the prelates had     
determined to impose upon him this      
severe punishment4 ,as he entered1      
,brendan1 abbot of ,birr1 an            
ecclesiastic of high character and great
 influence1 rose to salute and welcome  
him1 which was at once protested against
 by the bishops1 it being1 they said1 a 
great impropriety to show any mark of   
attention to a person whom the council  

had condemned4 ,ah1 replied the abbot1  
had you seen what the ,lord has been    
pleased to manifest to me to-day        
regarding this ,his elect1 whom you are 
censuring1 you would not have passed    
that sentence4 ,wrong it is1 and the    
,lord by no means excommunicates him in 
virtue thereof1 but rather more and more
 exalts him4 ,the synod were surprised  
at this remonstrance of holy ,brendan's1
 and at once the individuals composing  
it1 each and all anxiously inquired in  
what manner ,god had manifested his     
approbation of ,columba and his         
measures4 ,the good abbot then informed 
them1 that while the saint was on the   
way to the council1 he saw a luminous   
pillar preceding him1 and blessed angels
 accompanying him through the plain4 ,i 
dare not1 therefore1 he continued1 treat
 him with disrespect1 for ,i see that he
 is a man pre-ordained by ,god to be the
 guide of nations to eternal life4 ,this
 extraordinary announcement made by a   
witness whose sanctity was              

incontestible1 induced the council to   
reconsider the proceedings which they   
had adopted against ,columba1 and the   
result was so favorable1 that without   
further delay1 the sentence of          
excommunication was reversed1 and each  
person present emulated his brother in  
treating with respect and veneration him
 whom the ,king of heaven had chosen so 
to honor4  ,after leaving ,durrough1    
which took place immediately1 it would  
seem1 on the dissolution of the synod1  
our holy ,columba exercised his zeal by 
erecting monasteries in several parts of
 the kingdom1 similar to those already  
established in ,durrough and            
,tyrconnell4 ,the rule which he gave to 
his monks1 has not been transmitted to  
us by any ,latin writer2 and the ,irish 
copies of it which have been preserved1 
have hitherto eluded the skill of the   
most patient antiquary4 ,venerable      
,bede1 in various parts of his works1   
has borne most honorable testimony to   
their virtue4 ,in glowing colors he     

paints their chastity1 their poverty1   
their obedience1 the essential virtues  
of the monastic state1 as well as their 
patience and indefatigable efforts to   
attain the summit of ,christian         
perfection4 ,no motives but those of    
charity could induce them to leave their
 cells1 except at the hours appointed   
for religious duties and manual labor4  
,if they ever appeared in public1 it was
 to reconcile enemies1 to instruct the  
ignorant1 to extirpate vice1 and plead  
the cause of the unfortunate4 #a ,that  
much of their time was devoted to prayer
 and contemplation1 there is good reason
 to believe1 as well as that their      
repasts were few and exceedingly        
austere1 their holy founder himself     
being of such mortified habits1 that his
 fast was continual1 and that when he   
reposed the floor was his bed and a hard
 stone his pillow4 ,he must1 moreover1  
have taught his children to love well   
that prop1 that necessary bulwark1 that 
sine qua non of the monastic state1 holy

 silence1 except in time of recreation1 
or when duty or necessity required the  
contrary2 otherwise the happy           
consequences which resulted1 the        
glorious fruits which were produced by  
his conventual establishments1 would    
never have consoled his piety and       
crowned his labors4 ,unhappily for the  
glorious cause in which ,st4 ,columba   
was so engaged1 the party feuds and     
dissensions which disturbed the peace of
 his own kinsfolk1 interfered with the  
ulterior designs which his zeal         
meditated4 ,so long as he could hope    
that his influence would conduce to the 
termination of the hostilities carried  
on between the chieftains and princes of
 his family1 he was willing to labor for
 the restoration of union and peace2 but
 when the continued renewal of contests 
and disputes which he thought had been  
composed by his decisions1 taught him   
how unavailing had been his efforts1 he 
resolved to leave ,ireland and thus set 
aside a hindrance which could not fail  

to mar his exertions in the cause of    
heaven4  ,the northern parts of ,britain
 presented at this juncture many        
attractions to induce the saint to      
select that region as a fit theatre for 
his future labors4 ,on the ,northern    
,picts the light of the ,gospel had not 
yet shone4 ,it is true that the ,scots1 
a neighboring colony from ,ireland      
professed ,christianity1 but the glories
 of religion had been almost shorn of   
their splendor1 and it required an      
apostolic zeal to reinvest them with all
 their interest1 and rekindle the sacred
 fire now slumbering under the embers of
 sinful indifference4 ,the prospect of  
rescuing the ,picts from their idolatry1
 and of reviving among the ,scots       
connected with him by the ties of       
kindred and country1 the fervent piety  
which so pre-eminently distinguished    
their common ancestry1 afforded1 though 
fraught with difficulty1 the purest     
pleasure to the soul of ,columba1 and   
which pleasure was heightened by the    

hope1 that in this region also he might 
be able to diffuse those monastic       
institutions1 which had so much         
benefited and become the pride and glory
 of ,ireland4  ,in the vicinity of that 
part of ,caledonia where ,st4 ,columba  
chose to begin his new career1 there is 
a cluster of isles known at the present 
day by the synonyme of ,the ,hebrides1  
which isles1 or at least some of them1  
seem to have then been subject to the   
prince who ruled over the ,scottish     
colony which had settled in ,caledonia4 
,the sequestered site of the present    
,hebrides admirably adapted them for the
 seclusion of the monastic life1 and in 
such a retreat as they afforded1 the    
saint felt convinced that the followers 
of his institute might devote themselves
 most freely to the holy exercises of   
the cloister4 ,his connection with      
,conall1 the sovereign of the above     
colony1 7for ,conall1 like ,columba1 was
 lineally descended from the ,dalradian 
dynasty17 gave reason to hope that he   

might obtain permission to found a      
monastery in one of these islands3 he   
sought it and was successful2 ,hy1 the  
smallest of them1 now distinguished by  
the name of ,icolmkille1 being          
generously bestowed upon him by the     
prince for his use and that of his      
children in ,christ4 ,taking twelve of  
these with him1 ,columba sailed from    
,ireland1 and the weather proving       
propitious1 all safely arrived at ,hy of
 the ,hebrides4 ,the great things       
operated there for ,god deserve1 and    
shall find place in a new chapter4  #a  
,lingard's ,anglo-,saxon ,church4       
,,chapter ,,iii4  ,,arrival ,,of ,,st4  
,,columba ,,with ,,his ,,monks ,,in     
,,hy1 ,,where ,,he ,,builds ,a ,,church 
,,and ,,monastery--,,he ,,preaches ,,to 
,,the ,,northern ,,picts1 ,,and ,,works 
,,two ,,stupendous ,,miracles--,,other  
,,missionary ,,labors ,,of ,,the        
,,saint--,,his ,,connection ,,still     
,,with ,,ireland ,,and ,,interest ,,in  
,,irish ,,affairs--,,he ,,returns ,,to  

,,that ,,country ,,and ,,makes ,,the    
,,visitation ,,of ,,his ,,monasteries1  
c4  ,,the first care of ,columba and his
 monks on arriving at their destination1
 was to erect a monastery and build a   
church4 ,a period of nearly two years   
seems to have been engrossed in the     
completion of these undertakings1 as    
well as in the settlement of            
disciplinary matters connected with the 
new establishments4 ,when these were    
arranged1 the saint proceeded to execute
 his purpose of evangelizing the        
,northern ,picts1 who occupied all that 
part of ,scotland northward of the      
,grampian mountains4 ,no missionary had 
as yet appeared in this inhospitable    
clime2 the formidable barrier which     
separated its inhabitants from their    
southern neighbors1 hitherto preventing 
the glad tidings of salvation from being
 wafted to their coast4 ,the work seemed
 reserved for our own ,columba1 and to  
it he went accompanied only by a few of 
his disciples1 with all the zeal and    

firmness which ever characterizes the   
truly apostolic man4  ,the news of his  
arrival having reached the ears of      
,brude1 the sovereign who held dominion 
in these parts1 he shut himself up      
within the walls of the royal residence 
at ,inverness1 hoping there to remain   
undisturbed from the intrusion of the   
man of ,god4 ,fearing1 however1 that the
 solicitude of the latter for his       
conversion should prove superior to this
 precaution1 he moreover issued orders  
that if the saint approached1 the palace
 gates should be closed against him4    
,the apprehensions of the prince were   
realized2 for1 anxious to obtain the    
regal sanction1 the royal mansion was   
the first place which ,columba visited4 
,finding on his arrival that the very   
posterns were secured against him1 and  
that all access to ,brude was denied1   
the saint nowise dismayed1 calling to   
mind this promise of his loving and     
divine ,master1 ,amen ,i say unto you1  
if you have faith as a grain of         

mustard-seed you shall say to this      
mountain1 pass from hence and it shall  
be removed1 and nothing shall be        
impossible unto you1 #a fearlessly      
advanced to the palace gate1 and        
impressed upon it the sacred sign of the
 cross2 and lo6 by the power of ,him who
 dying for us thereon1 shivered the     
brazen gates1 and burst the chains of   
,satan2 the royal portals yielded on the
 moment1 and expanded widely1 to the    
amazement of the ,pagan bystanders4     
,this was sufficient2 confounded at the 
power which was given to the holy       
missionary1 the monarch came forth1     
attended by all the members of his      
council1 welcomed him with every        
demonstration of kindness and respect1  
gave him all the permissions he         
required1 and never failed in their     
after intercourse to evince the courtesy
 displayed at this first meeting4 ,the  
magi1 or ministers of the national      
superstition1 were the only persons from
 whom the missionaries had now any      

reason to fear opposition1 and they gave
 it2 for1 despite of the sanction of the
 king1 they used every artifice to      
render unavailing the labors of the     
saintly men4 ,an entire family being    
converted by the blessed ,columba to the
 ,christian faith1 their deadly hatred  
was so provoked1 that they were disposed
 to view with pleasure any misfortune   
befalling its individual members4 ,to   
their great joy one of the children grew
 sick1 and died soon after baptism1     
which they at once proclaimed to be the 
punishment of its parents' apostacy1 and
 a certain proof of the superiority of  
the potency of their gods1 over the ,god
 of the ,christians4 ,columba being     
apprized of this circumstance1 and      
fearing for the faith of his neophytes1 
repaired without delay to their abode4  
,on arriving there1 he first endeavored 
to console the sorrowing parents by     
enlarging on the ,divine power1 and by  
exhorting them to look with confidence  
for relief to the one true ,god1 and    

next proceeded to the room where the    
body of the deceased lay1 whence he     
obliged all to withdraw while he poured 
forth his prayer to ,god for the        
restoration to life of the departed     
child4 ,at the close of his fervent     
orison1 directing his eyes towards the  
lifeless remains1 he exclaimed1 ,in the 
name of the ,lord ,jesus1 arise1 and    
stand upon thy feet6 ,the command was   
obeyed1 the child was instantly restored
 to life1 and the saint taking him by   
the hand led him to the apartment in    
which his parents disconsolately        
remained4 ,we may guess at1 but cannot  
speak their joy1 their gratitude4       
,surely now they blessed the hour in    
which they embraced ,christianity1 and  
were more strongly confirmed in the     
belief of its mysteries3 the people1    
too1 assembled in crowds to witness the 
wonder which ,columba had wrought1      
testified by their acclamations their   
grateful acknowledgments to him1 and    
their faith in the omnipotence of the   

,god whom he came to preach unto them4  
,the interests of his monastery at ,hy1 
required that the saint should          
occasionally interrupt his apostolic    
labors in ,pictland1 in order to revisit
 it4 ,however1 his stay was very short1 
being prolonged only as much as was     
absolutely necessary for the infant     
establishment2 for as soon as it was    
possible he tore himself from his dear  
religious to resume his mission4 ,and   
what a sacrifice of self1 even in its   
minimum1 and apparently lawful form1 was
 not here6 ,that ,columba would have    
preferred communing with ,god in the    
seclusion of the cloister1 and governing
 that little and most peaceful flock    
committed to his care was but natural2  
but like all saintly hooded men1 he only
 thought of subjecting nature to grace1 
and knowing full well that when we leave
 ,god for ,god1 we are most certain of  
finding ,him4  ,it cannot be doubted    
that ,st4 ,columba's zealous exertions  
were crowned with great success1 the    

vast majority of the inhabitants of     
,pictland being gained over to the      
belief and practice of the ,gospel4     
,even during his first visit there1 he  
was enabled to erect some few churches  
and religious houses1 and appointed     
spiritual instructors to provide for the
 religious wants of the new converts1   
and propagate during his occasional     
absence the holy ,catholic faith4 ,who  
these were we are not aware1 the event  
being but imperfectly recorded1 no less 
than the history of these first         
ecclesiastical foundations4  ,it is     
said1 that our saint penetrated into the
 ,orkney ,isles1 and with some success1 
but of his proceedings there we know    
little4 ,of those which took place in   
the ,hebrides or ,western ,islands1     
which he also blessed with his presence1
 frequently visiting them1 indefatigably
 preaching in them1 supplying them with 
missionaries1 erecting churches1 and    
founding religious communities1 there is
 more extant4 ,among these ,islands1    

,hymba1 where he established a          
monastery1 over which1 after some years1
 he placed his maternal uncle ,erwan1   
seems to have been his favorite retreat1
 just as ,sabhal1 or ,saul1 in our own  
green isle was of his glorious and      
saintly progenitor in the faith1 ,st4   
,patrick4 ,on various occasions1 and at 
different intervals1 he made it his     
abode4 ,there it was that he was visited
 by four holy founders of monasticism in
 ,ireland--by ,comgall1 ,cainnech or    
,canice1 ,brendan of ,clonfert1 and     
,cormac ,hua ,liathain2--there while    
celebrating mass for them1 ,brendan saw 
a very bright flame like a burning      
pillar1 as if rising from his head1     
which continued from the moment of the  
consecration to the termination of the  
sacred mysteries4 ,it was there also    
that1 on another occasion1 he had some  
extraordinary celestial visitations1    
which lasted for three days and three   
nights consecutively4 ,there were       
several monasteries also1 founded by    

himself1 or in virtue of his obedience  
by his disciples1 in an island called   
,ethica1 one of which was governed by   
,baithen1 who subsequently succeeded him
 in the abbacy of ,hy4 ,while thus      
engaged1 the saint was at times obliged 
to exert himself in defence of the new  
converts against certain marauders1 who1
 though nominally ,christian1 practised 
the illicit trade of plundering4 ,on one
 occasion1 he proceeded to excommunicate
 some of the leaders1 who were members  
of the royal house of the ,british      
,scots1 but at the risk of his life1 one
 of their partizans having rushed upon  
him with a spear1 but providentially    
without effect4 ,adamnan says1 that the 
name of this assassin was ,lamh-dess or 
,right hand1 and that on his advancing  
against ,columba1 ,findulgan1 a monk of 
,hymba1 where this transaction occurred1
 being clothed in an outer garment of   
the saint1 threw himself between him and
 ,lamh-dess1 who1 notwithstanding he    
used all his might1 was not able to     

transfix it4  ,the apostolic labors of  
,st4 ,columba were not confined to the  
territories of the ,picts and ,western  
,islanders1 he superintended also the   
ecclesiastical affairs of the ,british  
,scots1 and formed some religious       
establishments in their kingdom2 one of 
them1 near ,loch-,awe in ,argyle1 was   
governed by one of his monks named      
,cailten1 of whom it is related1 that he
 died at ,hy1 the parent-house1 if we   
may so call it4 ,the holy abbot         
,columba1 foreseeing that the death of  
this monk was nigh1 sent for him that he
 might give him his blessing1 as being  
in some sort necessary to his           
terminating his course in the true      
spirit of monastic obedience4 ,in       
traversing the southern part of this    
kingdom1 our saint visited ,st4         
,kentigern1 bishop of ,glasgow1 and     
spent with him a few days4 ,nor is it   
improbable that he visited ,south       
,britain1 then possessed by the         
,anglo-,saxons1 for there were          

,christians of that nation in ,hy before
 his death1 converted in all probability
 by himself or his disciples4 ,meantime1
 he did not neglect to watch vigilantly 
over his other monasteries1 not only in 
,scotland and the ,isles1 but also those
 which he had founded in his own dear   
and more cherished land4 ,thither did he
 often send messengers on business      
connected with his monasteries1 or with 
other pious objects4 ,on one occasion he
 dispatched to ,clogher1 in all haste1  
,lugaid ,laithir1 one of his monks1     
7whom ,adamnan calls his legate by      
excellence17 with a box containing a    
benediction1 which1 when dipped in      
water1 was to cure the saintly virgin   
,mangina1 whose limb was broken at her  
returning from the holy mysteries2 which
 it did most effectually instantly on   
its application4 #b  ,st4 ,columba was  
frequently visited by persons from      
,ireland1 who were either his former    
friends1 or who wished to become so1 or 
who desired to receive his advice on    

various matters2 and these1 with all    
other strangers1 he received with the   
greatest kindness1 and treated most     
hospitably4 ,besides the holy men       
already mentioned1 ,columbanus1 bishop  
in the province of ,leinster1 #c came to
 see him4 ,the holy abbot conceived a   
great friendship for this prelate1 so   
that1 being apprized of his death by    
revelation1 he gave orders in the       
morning that the monks who were         
preparing for their respective          
occupations should refrain from work on 
that day2 and when all was ready for the
 holy mysteries1 the whole community1   
clothed in white garments as on a       
,sunday or other solemnity1 proceeded to
 the church along with the saint4 ,when 
the choir had come to a part of the     
service in which the name of ,st4       
,martin used to be commemorated1 the    
saintly abbot cried out1 ,to-day you    
must sing for the holy bishop           
,columbanus2 and thus they became       
informed of his death4  ,another visitor

 of ,st4 ,columba's was ,aidan1 a very  
religious man1 who had lived twelve     
years with ,st4 ,brendan of ,clonfert4  
,on the day before his arrival1 the     
saint said to the brethren1 ,we intend  
to fast to-morrow as usual1 because it  
will be ,wednesday2 but1 in consequence 
of the arrival of a stranger1 the fast  
will be broken4 ,the event verified the 
prediction4 ,aidan did arrive2 and ,st4 
,columba's dispensation with so holy an 
ordinance1 observed even by the whole   
,irish ,church1 establishes his claim to
 great prudence and discretion4 #d  ,we 
shall mention but one more of those     
visitors1 ,cronan1 a ,munster bishop1   
who1 on the occasion1 through humility1 
did all that he could to prevent its    
being known that he belonged to the     
episcopal order4 ,not having yet        
understood that he did1 ,columba desired
 him on the ,sunday to celebrate ,mass1 
,christi corpus ex more1 conficere4 ,he 
did so2 and when he came to the division
 of the consecrated host1 he called upon

 ,columba to join him as a priest in    
breaking the ,lord's bread1 ,ut simul   
quasi duo presbyteri1 ,dominicum panem  
frangerent4 ,coming up to the altar1 and
 looking him in the face1 the saint     
said1 ,christ bless you brother2 do you 
alone break it1 according to the        
episcopal rite1 for now we know you are 
a bishop4 ,why have you hitherto        
endeavored to conceal yourself1 so as   
not to let us pay you that veneration   
which we owe to you8 #e  ,that ,columba 
was held in the highest veneration1 as  
well by the clergy and people as by the 
monarchs of his time1 both in ,ireland  
and ,britain1 is too well known to      
require proof4 ,a very remarkable       
instance of it occurs in his having been
 the person applied to for inaugurating1
 or1 as his biographers express it1     
ordaining1 ,aidan1 king of the ,british 
,scots1 after the death of ,conall2 with
 which request1 by the way1 he complied 
not1 until after being commanded by an  
angel1 preferring much that ,eugene1    

,aidan's brother1 should sway the       
sceptre4 ,he subsequently became very   
friendly towards the latter2 and for his
 sake chiefly it was that he assisted at
 the assembly of ,drumceat in ,ireland1 
some differences between him and ,aidus1
 the supreme monarch of the green isle1 
being to be adjusted therein4 ,this was 
the last of the several visits with     
which our saint favored the land of his 
birth1 and it is referred to the year   
#eij4 ,he was accompanied by some of his
 monks1 together with his royal friend2 
and having1 after a stormy passage1     
entered ,lough ,foyle1 and landed near  
the mouth of the river ,roe1 they       
proceeded to ,drumceat1 to meet the     
states-general of the kingdom4 ,aidus1  
at first rather insolent and            
disrespectful towards ,st4 ,columba1    
changed his tone altogether when he     
found that he came only to establish    
peace between him and the king of the   
,british ,scots4 ,the respective claims 
of the royal opponents were simply      

these3 ,aidan1 the ,scottish monarch1   
asserting a hereditary right to the     
sovereignty of ,dalrieda in ,antrim1    
demanded that the inhabitants of that   
territory should be relieved from the   
tribute paid by the other ,irish        
principalities to the supreme monarch2  
while1 on the other hand1 ,aidus1       
contended that1 as the aforesaid        
territory formed a part of his realm1 it
 could not be exempt from the subsidy   
required from the several states of the 
kingdom by him and his successors in the
 monarchy4 ,the decision of the matter  
being at length referred to ,st4        
,columba1 he1 feeling unwilling to      
pronounce upon it1 advised that it      
should be submitted to ,st4 ,colman1 a  
person deeply skilled in civil as well  
as ecclesiastical lore4 ,st4 ,colman    
decided for ,aidus2 but1 to heal the    
dissensions which had arisen1 he        
proposed that a solemn covenant should  
be entered into between him and ,aidan  
to render mutual assistance1 the one to 

the other1 against any enemy who might  
invade their respective dominions4 ,this
 proposal was received with joy1 and    
being entered into1 gave general        
satisfaction4  ,another subject of no   
small national importance was           
subsequently discussed4 ,the bards had  
incurred the displeasure of ,aidus1 and 
several leading members of the national 
council1 being as it was said1 a proud  
and venal order1 who bestowed praise on1
 or loaded with censure1 the nobles and 
other great men1 not according to merit1
 but just as they were prompted by      
passion or interest4 ,their fate seemed 
decided--their proscription was about to
 be determined on1 until our saintly    
abbot1 who1 at the same time that he    
protested against such an abuse1 still  
loved1 like a patriot1 the institutions 
of his country1 claimed toleration for  
the sons of song2 and pleaded their     
cause so successfully1 that the assembly
 contented itself with limiting their   
number1 and obliging them thenceforward 

to observe certain regulations4 ,the    
assembly being dissolved1 our good ,st4 
,columba prepared to leave ,drumceat2   
but1 before he set out1 his pity for the
 sufferings of ,scanlan1 prince of      
,ossory1 detained in prison by ,aidus   
for some political cause1 induced him to
 petition for his release4 ,though      
disposed to receive favorably any       
request from such a holy man1 the fears1
 or perhaps the prejudices1 of the      
monarch against the unfortunate prince  
prevented his acquiescence3 so1         
perceiving that further interference    
would not avail1 ,columba consoled the  
royal captive with the assurance that he
 should survive his imperial master1 and
 be restored to1 and govern for many    
years1 his native princedom4  ,from     
,drumceat1 ,st4 ,columba proceeded to   
transact business far more to his mind1 
and according to his spirit1 the        
visitation of his monasteries4 ,the     
number which he visited on this occasion
 we cannot ascertain1 to that of ,derry1

 as lying within a short distance of    
,drumceat1 he undoubtedly went2 as also 
to that of ,durrough1 his favorite1 then
 governed for him by ,lasrean4 ,in this 
latter he remained even for some months1
 arranging various disciplinary matters2
 during which time he visited           
,alitherus1 abbot of ,clonmacnois1 who1 
with his whole community1 and the people
 of the surrounding country1 received   
him with all manner of respect and      
veneration4 ,having accomplished the    
business which brought him to ,ireland1 
the saint set out for his adopted       
country1 and1 making the northern part  
of ,ulster his way1 had an interview    
with ,st4 ,comgall of ,bangor1 and      
another with ,conall1 bishop of         
,coleraine4 #f ,taking shipping soon    
after1 he sailed for ,hy1 where he      
landed in safety4   #a ,st4 ,matt4 ch4  
xvii1 ver4 #ai #b ,adamnan1 ,book #b1   
ch4 #e4 #c ,ibid4 ,book #c1 ch4 #ab4 #d 
,wednesdays and ,fridays were fast-days 
formerly throughout ,ireland4 #e        

,adamnan1 ,book #a1 ch4 #dd4 #f ,in the 
infancy of the ,irish ,church it was    
usual to appoint bishops over small     
districts1 so that the number of ,irish 
sees were then very numerous4           
,,chapter ,,iv4  ,,last ,,years ,,of    
,,st4 ,,columba--,,his ,,saintly        
,,death4  ,,not small1 we may suppose1  
was the joy of the community at ,hy on  
beholding once more in the midst of them
 their dear father in ,christ2 nor was  
his own less4 ,it must1 indeed1 have    
been consoling to him to find himself   
once more in the calm seclusion of his  
cloister1 after the noisy world whence  
he had just emerged4 ,to hear again the 
vesper peal and matin toll in the still 
midnight--to view at golden prime 7if1  
indeed1 he looked upon7 the angelic     
features of those meek ones1 to whom the
 ,lord1 for whom they had left all1 had 
given the inheritance of the land4      
,truly1 our saint could better relish   
those delights on returning from the    
external world1 as things are better    

appreciated by contrast4  ,it was now   
the year of our ,lord #eic1 and thirty  
years had our earth performed her       
revolution round the brilliant orb which
 illumines her1 since ,columba had      
settled in that lonely and sequestered  
isle4 ,he had often prayed to the ,most 
,high that1 at the termination of such a
 period1 he might pass from this exile1 
and he now looked with confidence for   
the grant of his request4 ,but1 while   
indulging in this delightful            
anticipation1 blessed angels were sent  
to apprise him that1 in consideration of
 the prayers poured forth by the        
,british and ,scottish churches1 it was 
decreed in heaven that he should yet    
remain four years more on earth4 ,the   
tidings cost him many tears1 but they   
were accompanied with perfect submission
 to the divine will1 the blessed man at 
once renouncing his anxiety to be then  
dissolved1 and go to ,christ1 since such
 was ,his good pleasure4 ,with greater  
earnestness than ever1 did he now labor 

to consummate his perfection1 and attain
 more and greater sanctity4 ,we have    
already spoken of his corporal          
austerity1 but this was only one virtue1
 ,columba was eminent in all4 ,one thing
 particularly distinguished him1 great  
cheerfulness of countenance and mildness
 of disposition2 and this is no small   
matter1 for nothing edifies us more than
 that those who profess to serve ,god1  
should be cordially sweet and amiable to
 men4 ,columba1 too1 was a great lover  
of labor2 he knew not what it was to be 
unemployed1 but continually occupied    
himself1 when not engrossed by          
missionary duties1 in praying1 reading1 
writing1 as the devout  ,kempis says1   
and in doing something for the common   
good4 ,and these were greater things    
than the gifts of prophecy and miracles 
which he possessed in an eminent degree4
  ,at length the four years1 which were 
to terminate the labors of the holy man1
 were drawing to their close4 ,it was   
,saturday1 the #hth of ,june1 and with  

that calm serenity and imperturbable    
peace with which saints die1 ,columba1  
attended by ,diermit1 one of his monks1 
proceeded to examine if there was a     
sufficient supply of corn in the granary
 to supply his dear children with bread 
until the new harvest should be reaped4 
,having discovered that there was1 he   
blessed the barn1 and being quite       
satisfied that all his obligations to   
the brethren were now fulfilled1 he     
revealed to ,diermit1 with an injunction
 of secrecy1 that his hour was come1 and
 that he should be called out of life   
before the next day had dawned4 ,the    
monk thereupon besought him to impart   
his benediction to the monastery2 he    
complied1 standing on the summit of an  
adjoining eminence4 ,he then returned to
 his poor cell1 and continued           
transcribing a portion of the ,holy     
,scripture #a until the bell summoned   
all to choir1 when1 closing the last    
page with the appropriate verse1        
,inquirentes autem ,dominum non         

deficient omni bono-- ,they who seek the
 ,lord shall not want any good1 7,ps4   
#cc17 he said1 ,let ,bailhen 7his       
successor in the abbacy7 finish the     
rest1 and then proceeded to the church  
with the rest of the community4 ,the    
devotions being ended1 he returned to   
his cell1 and there reclining on his    
rocky couch1 delivered some instructions
 to ,diermit to be communicated to the  
brethren4 ,at midnight1 the tolling of  
the bell summoned the monks again to    
prayer1 and the holy abbot1 the first to
 respond to the call1 was already in the
 church and in earnest prayer1 before   
any one had arrived4 ,diermit was the   
first who appeared1 and he found the    
saint1 his strength rapidly declining1  
quite absorbed in ,god as he lay before 
the altar4 ,in an instant all the monks 
were assembled about him1 and bitterly  
bewailed their loss4 ,the holy man had  
still sufficient strength left to       
recognize them1 and looking upon them1  
his brow irradiated by heaven's own     

smile1 he1 with ,diermit's help1 raised 
his right hand1 and thus imparted to    
them his saintly benediction4 ,soon     
after1 on ,sunday morning1 the #ith of  
,june1 he passed to a glorious          
immortality4  ,for three days1 and as   
many nights1 the obsequies of ,st4      
,columba were unremittingly celebrated2 
and at the close of that time1 his      
sacred remains were1 with all religious 
solemnity1 deposited in the tomb4 ,his  
memory was for ages most dear to the    
northern nations1 his monastery was     
selected for the sepulchres of the kings
 of ,ireland1 ,scotland1 and ,norway2   
and the provincial bishops1 though      
preserving in their episcopal functions 
the superiority of their rank1 submitted
 in other points to the mandate of the  
abbot of ,hy1 as the legitimate         
successor of ,st4 ,columba4 ,singular   
honor this1 and unparalleled in church  
history2 but far greater honor did the  
saint receive1 and greater bliss does he
 now enjoy in the glorious kingdom of   

which holy ,david said1 ,saturabor cum  
apparuit gloria tua--,i shall be        
satisfied when thy glory appears4   #a  
,transcribing holy books was a favorite 
occupation of ,saint ,columba4 ,he left 
behind him #ajj manuscripts1 says ,a4   
,butler4 7,lives of ,saints1 #ith       
,june47 ,the celebrated ,book of ,kells 
is the autograph of ,st4 ,columba1 and  
consists of a copy of the four ,gospels4
 ,one of the first paintings in this    
wonderful volume1 7for there are        
several1 all proving that even in the   
#fth century we had in ,ireland a style 
of illumination peculiarly national1 and
 for the age of no small merit17 is the 
,blessed ,virgin with our infant        
,saviour in her arms1 a halo of glory   
round her head1 and angels above her4   
,in the last page is written1 ,i beseech
 your ,blessedness1 holy ,presbyter     
,patrick1 that whosoever holds this book
 may remember ,columba4 ,dub4 ,review1  
,june1 #ahdf