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Saint Columba among his monks, raising his hand as a captive kneels at his side, painted by Robert Herdman in 1883

Saint Columba of Iona

Irish monk who sailed to Iona in 563 and carried the faith to northern Scotland

Patron of
the Scottish dioceses of Argyll and the Isles and of Dunkeld
Western calendar
9 June
Orthodox calendar
9 June

Columba, Colum Cille, "the dove of the Church", was an Irish monk of royal descent who founded Derry and Durrow, and in 563 he sailed with twelve companions to the island of Iona, wishing to be a pilgrim for Christ. From Iona he preached the faith to the people of northern Scotland and founded churches and monasteries, and Iona became a centre of Christianity for Scotland and northern England. On his last evening he was copying the Psalms and stopped at the words "those who seek the Lord diligently shall not want any good thing", and a little after midnight, in June 597, he died before the altar of his church.

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