Bibliographical Face of St. Columba

St. Columba (c.521-97) Irish born missionary and first abbot of Iona, a remote island off western Scotland. St. Columba was born in Donegal into the family of the Irish High Kings. In 546 he founded the monastery of Derry, in Ireland. In 563, with the help of 12 other monks, he established the monastery of Iona, an establishment which became the centre of Celtic Christianity in the north of Britain.

As well as being revered as a warrior saint whose help was often invoked in battle, he is credited with copying nearly 300 books in his own hand and writing three Latin hymns.