There’s the legend that when Abbot Columba came upon a group of people burying a man said to have been attacked by a “water beast” in the River Ness, he told an associate to enter the river and swim across it. The "Loch Ness Monster" appeared, the abbot made the Sign of the Cross, and commanded the beast, “Go no further, and touch the man not.” The creature “pulled back” as if “with ropes” and then fled. All were amazed!
By Kimberly Bruce
He was an abbot in the sixth century, credited with converting Scotland to Christianity, establishing 100 monasteries, performing miracles, and legend has it, even preventing the Loch Ness “water beast” from an attack.
He is the great St. Columba (521-597 A.D.), and his feast day is June 9.
From Ireland to Scotland
Columba was born across the sea in Garton, county Donegal, Ireland. He had royal lineage on both sides of his family. His father was the great-grandson of the Overlord of Ireland and his mother a descendant of a Leinster king.
A privileged youth, he was sent to be tutored at St. Finnian’s school in Moville. He became a deacon at the age of 20 and an ordained priest by 25. The first 15 years of his priesthood were spent preaching throughout Ireland and founding monasteries, primarily in Derry, Durrow, and Kells.
A lover of books, Fr. Columba found himself in “hot water” after transcribing a copy of St. Jerome’s original Psalter which his former teacher, the future St. Finnian, had brought from Rome. Though Fr. Finnian had given Fr. Columba permission to look at it, when he discovered that Fr. Columba had also made a copy of it, he demanded Fr. Columba’s copy be returned to him.
This controversy was ultimately brought before Diarmaid, king of Ireland, who declared, “To every cow her calf and to every book its son-book. Therefore the copy you made, O Colum Cille [Columba], belongs to Finnian.”
War and exile
This debate was nothing compared with a weightier matter that followed in Fr. Columba’s life. Prince Curnan of Connaught, after lethally injuring a rival in a hurling match, sought the “right of sanctuary” in Fr. Columba’s monastery. Completely ignoring the “right of sanctuary,” King Diarmaid’s men entered the monastery, grabbed the prince from Fr. Columba’s arms, and killed him.
A war resulted between Fr. Columba’s clan and those loyal to King Diarmaid. Father Columba’s clan was victorious but not before the loss of life in battle reached three thousand.
A Church synod in County Meath all but decided to excommunicate Fr. Columba over the matter but were dissuaded at the last moment by the future St. Brendan. As a penance, Fr. Columba exiled himself to Scotland to win back, by evangelization, the number of souls lost in battle.
Father and twelve companions travelled to the Isle of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. Father and his companions then built the Iona Abbey monastery, a major hub for the spread of Christianity in the region and where many future bishops and saints received formation.
Serene and holy
Abbot Adamnan, an historian and St. Columba’s ninth successor, penned the Life of St. Columba, saying of the saint:
He had the face of an angel; he was of excellent nature, polished in speech, holy in deed, great in council. He never let a single hour pass without engaging in prayer or reading or writing or some other occupation. He endured the hardships of fasting and vigils without intermission by day and night; the burden of a single one of his labors would have seemed beyond the powers of man. And, in the midst of all his toils, he appeared loving unto all, serene and holy, rejoicing in the joy of the Holy Spirit in his inmost heart.
In fact, Abbot Columba longed for death to take him so as to be united with the Lord. Before death, however, he received a vision of angels who told him his death had been deferred four more years in answer to the prayers of his children.
Lamenting this news, he said, “Woe is me that my sojourning is prolonged!” He was not unlike St. Faustina who expressed to Jesus, as well:
When will You take me to Yourself I’ve been feeling so ill, and I’ve been waiting for Your coming with such longing! Jesus answered me, Be always ready; I will not leave you in this exile for long. My holy will must be fulfilled in you (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1539).
Evangelization and miracles
But our Lord was not yet done with Fr. Columba, either. All in all, he travelled 34 years evangelizing Scotland and founding dozens of monasteries.
Many sought Abbot Columba out as he was known to be a man of miracles. A famous one occurred when he joined future Saints Comgall and Canice to see King Brude at his castle in the hopes of converting the Northern Picts in Scotland. They were refused entrance, the gates were closed, and the doors bolted shut. When Abbot Columba made the Sign of the Cross, the bolts miraculously fell out, and the doors swung open!
So shocked by this miracle, the king listened to his guests and received Baptism. The townspeople soon followed suit.
Then there’s the legend that when Abbot Columba came upon a group of people burying a man said to have been attacked by a “water beast” in the River Ness, he told an associate to enter the river and swim across it. The "Loch Ness Monster" appeared, the abbot again made the Sign of the Cross, and commanded the beast, “Go no further, and touch the man not.” The creature “pulled back” as if “with ropes” and then fled. All were amazed!
Pilgrimage site
The day Abbot Columba died, June 9, 597, he said to his disciple, Diermit, “This day is called the Sabbath, that is, the day of rest, and such will it truly be to me; for it will put an end to my labors.” Father then knelt before the altar, received Viaticum, and peacefully passed away.
He was buried in Iona, but in the ninth century some of his relics were transferred to Down in Ulster and placed next to those of St. Patrick. Both are places of pilgrimage today.
May we all have St. Columba’s zeal for evangelization and his longing to be with Christ for all eternity. May we realize the power of our sacrifices and prayers to God for the benefit of our neighbors and our world at large.
Saint Columba, pray for us!
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