The life of St Columbia - Columkille, ' the dove of the church', his emblem the flying dove within the lovely columbine flower - who left Ireland in a rage, founded monasteries and, himself turbulent, started the tranquil church of Iona. A beautiful life by a one of his successor abbots. Callender Peace Studies /. Callender Saints

Founding father of the famous monastery on the island of Iona, a site of pilgrimage ever since his death in 597, St Columba was born into one of the ruling families in Ireland at a time of immense expansion for the Irish Church. This account of his life, written by Adomnán - the ninth abbot of Iona, and a distant relative of St Columba - describes his travels from Ireland to Scotland and his mission in the cause of Celtic Christianity there. Written 100 years after St Columba's death, it draws on written and oral traditions to depict a wise abbot among his monks, who like Christ was capable of turning water into wine, controlling sea-storms and raising the dead. An engaging account of one of the central figures in the 'Age of Saints', this is a major work of early Irish and Scottish history.

‘Years ago, I was captivated by a magical day spent on Iona and dreamed of writing a book on St Columba, an inspirational man far ahead of his time, who challenged the institutions of church and state, and created a monastery that became a beacon of spiritual and artistic light during the dark ages.’ Tim Hetherington In this bold take on the life of Saint Columba – the founder of the religious community on the Scottish island of Iona and one of Ireland’s three patron saints – Tim Hetherington eschews the pieties of a conventional hagiography in favour of a more down-to-earth view of the saint and the religious, social and political world of Ireland and Scotland in the sixth century AD. Originally named Crimthann – the fox – and a member of the powerful Ui Neill Clan, Columba’s remarkable gifts of intellect and character were quickly noted and nourished by the leading clerics of the day. But his impetuous nature and family loyalties led him to involvement in political intrigues and conflicts. Denounced by Church leaders, Columba left Ireland with twelve monks and founded the monastery on Iona. Over the years he established the Christian Church throughout Dalriada, the Irish kingdom in Western Scotland, and then in the rest of Scotland ruled by King Bridei of the Picts. Columba aligned himself closely, perhaps too closely, with the Dalriadan royal family. But the sheer force of his personality and his dedication to spreading Christianity by written works as well as by word of mouth ensured his special place in history. Masterfully blending extensive research and novelistic imagination, The Life and Loves of Saint Columba is full of fascinating insights into the nature of faith and spirituality. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Christianity or Irish history.

"The Life of Saint Columba, Apostle of Scotland" by F. A. Forbes. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

The Britain of 600-800 AD was populated by four distinct peoples; the British, Picts, Irish and Anglo-Saxons. They spoke 3 different languages, Gaelic, Brittonic and Old English, and lived in a diverse cultural environment. In 600 the British and the Irish were already Christians. In contrast the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons and Picts occurred somewhat later, at the end of the 6th and during the 7th century. Religion was one of the ways through which cultural difference was expressed, and the rulers of different areas of Britain dictated the nature of the dominant religion in areas under their control. This book uses the Conversion and the Christianisation of the different peoples of Britainas a framework through which to explore the workings of their political systems and the structures of their society. Because Christianity adapted to and affected the existing religious beliefs and social norms wherever it was introduced, it’s the perfect medium through which to study various aspects of society that are difficult to study by any other means.

Sources and streams of the faiths of man in all lands; showing the evolution of faiths from the rudest symbolism to the latest spiritual developments

The guardians of the Stone of Destiny through the lineage of time have protected this ancient holy relic up into modern times. From the stones introduction to human society to as far as ancient Egypt under the protection and stewardship of Princess Scota, daughter of Nefertiti and sister of Tutankhamun, the relic has traveled through many countries such as the Iberian Peninsula and Ireland, eventually coming to rest in Argyll, Scotland, where the Scots and Irish had adopted her name for their tribes and succession. Through the course of this guardianship, the relic was eventually placed with the Knights Templar, Holy Order of Scotland, and overseen by the Earl of Fife, where we know that through the warring years known better by the scholars as the Hammer of the Scots and the year 1296 specifically, where Edward Longshanks had raided Scotland in order to acquire this important relic. However, if true history is to be known, we may find that all was not as Edward had planned, and having returned to Scotland for a period covering seven years or so, King Longshanks was still not convinced that he had succeeded in his mission and eventually died near Lindisfarne before discovering the truth. As we move into modern times, we may discover that the guardians may have misplaced the holy relic during their tenure and the stone was secreted in various locations through the centuries across Scotland, including the River Tay near Dundee and Dunsinane Castle near Scone, the disputed home of King MacBeth and his wife, Gruogh. In the account that is portrayed within this narrative, we may find that the relic has been, on occasions, vulnerable, and the guardians are pitched against an unknown enemy from within once more as they endeavor to save the stone from modern-day scientific study methods that could destroy the relic for eternity.