This Saturday June 9 is the feast day of St Columba and, fittingly, I will be making my first visit to the Isle of Canna for a symposium on St Columba.
The day is organised by the National Trust for Scotland and will examine Columba’s connection with Canna as well as celebrating Gaelic culture. I will begin the day with Mass in St Columba’s Church before participating in the symposium’s events, including leading the group in prayer at a Celtic cross dating from the seventh century. I am very much looking forward to the whole experience.
Columba, or Colum Cille, means ‘dove of the church’. St Columba came from Ireland to Iona in 563. He was not the first person to preach Christianity in our locality but he is the most famous. His personal holiness, charisma and integrity attracted many followers during his lifetime.