Colmcille

I've just remembered that today is St Columba's Day - also known as Colmcille, 'dove of the church'.

Columba was a sixth century Irish nobleman. Christianity had been established in Ireland by St Patrick, and Columba became a monk, a scholar, and a thoroughly resourceful chap - but we are all flawed and damaged creatures, and Columba had an unfortunate tendency to get seriously annoyed if anyone crossed him. He borrowed a book from the abbot of another monastery. In those days books were rare and precious things. Now, they're only precious. Columba made a copy of the book before returning it. The other abbot wasn't pleased. He was so not pleased that he went to court over it, claiming that Columba had no right to reproduce the work and should hand over his copy. The court found against Columba and laid the foundation of international rules on copyright.

Columba protested. He protested so much that there was a pitched battle, with severe loss of life, not at all the sort of thing monks should be into. He had a falling out with a local ruler about sanctuary, too. Finally, repentant and acknowledging that he had been responsible for a lot of bloodshed, he went into exile with a few companions. Loving his homeland as he did, he committed himself to settling in a place where he could no longer see the coast of Ireland. It's said that he first arrived at a place called Southend, but went on to a tiny island. Iona.

Iona became one of the holiest sites in Christendom. From the tiny island with its clear green waters, white sand and rough weather, the Christian faith spread throughout Scotland. Young noblemen were nurtured there, and after Oswald Whiteblade of Northumbria regained his kingdom, he sent for monks from Iona to spread the faith. They, too, settled on an island, Lindisfarne. To this day, Iona and Lindisfarne are holy islands, the ongoing harvest of a transformed life.

Apparently, in Southend it has always been said that Thursday is an auspicious day because the major events in Columba's life happened on Thursdays. It's supposed to be a great blessing to be a Thursday's Child. This is probably the stuff of legend, but as a Thursday's Child I happily go along with it.