Continuing the Legacy of St. Columba

Iona_Abbey.jpeg
 
 

In a time of spiritual darkness and confusion an Irish priest named Columba and twelve companions moved to a remote island off the coast of Scotland called Iona in order to establish a monastic abbey; it was the year 563AD. Most of the people of Scotland, England and Ireland were not yet Christians. The Abbey developed and grew; soon it became a renowned place of learning, reflection on scripture, and prayer. Beyond this, it functioned as a center of training and renewal, and a place of inspiration for mission to the people of the British Isles. It was from the remote and beautiful island of Iona, and the Abbey established by St. Columba, that a movement of Christian mission was launched that resulted in the eventual conversion of Scotland and much of Ireland and England. 

The movement spread primarily through the formation of a number of monasteriums - worshiping communities (churches) formed around, and integrated into, the rich, shared life of a monastery or semi-monastic community. The beauty of these little colonies of heaven offered a profound witness to the people who encountered them: stability, hospitality, beauty, and mystery; a life oriented completely around Christ. The embodied, communal expression of this different way of life spoke to the deepest places of those who were spiritually hungry. 

Over the centuries, hundreds of priests, monks, missionaries, and pastors were sent out from Iona, and thousands of churches were planted from the spiritually fertile soil of the Abbey started by St. Columba. In eras of darkness and spiritual confusion, the Iona Abbey fostered the vibrant light of Christ. It was here that beautiful, sacred art such as the renowned Book of Kells was produced. Iona was a place of theological reflection, spiritual formation, soul-care, and healing. For the past 1400 years, Iona has remained a sacred place of pilgrimage for many Christians. 

 

We believe that our era is crying out for a new Iona… 

  • A new place of formation, contemplation, and restoration

  • A new base of mission to an increasingly post-Christian culture

  • A new center for launching monasteriums for the 21st century