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Columba: Difference between revisions
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'''Saint Columba or Saint Colm Cille''' (December 7, 521 - June 9, 597) sometimes known as ''St. Columba of Iona'' was born in County Donegal, Ireland. His name, in Old Irish, means "Dove of the church." He was born into royalty and could himself have possibly become a high king of Ireland. Instead, he chose to give up his royal privileges and become a servant of the King of kings, and a missionary to Scotland. | '''Saint Columba or Saint Colm Cille''' (December 7, 521 - June 9, 597) sometimes known as ''St. Columba of Iona'' was born in County Donegal, Ireland. His name, in Old Irish, means "Dove of the church." He was born into royalty and could himself have possibly become a high king of Ireland. Instead, he chose to give up his royal privileges and become a servant of the King of kings, and a missionary to Scotland.<ref>{{Wikipedia Reference}}</ref> | ||
=Problems with William Branham's choice of Columba= | =Problems with William Branham's choice of Columba= | ||
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On one instance, while coming to a meeting regarding his excommunication, one of the clergy members suddenly ran to him, and kissed him reverently. When the rest of the clergy members demanded a response for his actions, he replied: | On one instance, while coming to a meeting regarding his excommunication, one of the clergy members suddenly ran to him, and kissed him reverently. When the rest of the clergy members demanded a response for his actions, he replied: | ||
:''"If, you had seen what the Lord has this day thought fit to show to me regarding this his chosen one, whom you dishonour, you would never have excommunicated a person whom God not only doth not excommunicate, according to your unjust sentence, but even more and more highly esteemeth. I have seen, a most brilliant pillar wreathed with fiery tresses preceding this same man of God whom you treat with contempt; I have also seen holy angels accompanying him on his journey through the plain. Therefore I do not dare to slight him whom I see foreordained by God to be the leader of his people to life."'' | :''"If, you had seen what the Lord has this day thought fit to show to me regarding this his chosen one, whom you dishonour, you would never have excommunicated a person whom God not only doth not excommunicate, according to your unjust sentence, but even more and more highly esteemeth. I have seen, a most brilliant pillar wreathed with fiery tresses preceding this same man of God whom you treat with contempt; I have also seen holy angels accompanying him on his journey through the plain. Therefore I do not dare to slight him whom I see foreordained by God to be the leader of his people to life."''<ref>Vita Columbae</ref> | ||
Columba's life was marked by a love for the scriptures, and dedication to their transcription. According to his biographer Adomnan, it was through Columba's prayers in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that the sick were healed, the dead were raised, visions were seen, prophecies were made and fulfilled, storms were calmed, and water was turned to wine. | Columba's life was marked by a love for the scriptures, and dedication to their transcription. According to his biographer Adomnan, it was through Columba's prayers in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that the sick were healed, the dead were raised, visions were seen, prophecies were made and fulfilled, storms were calmed, and water was turned to wine. | ||
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After his death, Columba's Iona became a place of pilgrimage, and a network of Celtic high crosses marking processional routes developed around his shrine. The Vikings sacked the monastary in 794, and the remaining relics were finally removed in 849 and divided between Alba and Ireland. After the death of Columba, and later after the destruction of the monastery, the Monks who had inhabited the island had no place to return to, so they penetrated deep into Northern Europe, spreading his life story, preaching the gospel, and translating the Bible. By the 1200s, the story and influence of Columba was widespread across Europe, as evidenced by ancient copies of his life story and other relics. However, by the 1400 Columba was all but forgoten as the result of the peasant class being illiterate, and the clergy speaking in Latin. | After his death, Columba's Iona became a place of pilgrimage, and a network of Celtic high crosses marking processional routes developed around his shrine. The Vikings sacked the monastary in 794, and the remaining relics were finally removed in 849 and divided between Alba and Ireland. After the death of Columba, and later after the destruction of the monastery, the Monks who had inhabited the island had no place to return to, so they penetrated deep into Northern Europe, spreading his life story, preaching the gospel, and translating the Bible. By the 1200s, the story and influence of Columba was widespread across Europe, as evidenced by ancient copies of his life story and other relics. However, by the 1400 Columba was all but forgoten as the result of the peasant class being illiterate, and the clergy speaking in Latin. | ||
Many of the independent Christians during the 1000 years after Columba would follow Columba's template for spreading the Gospel: a dozen men would be sent to a new region, and create a new town and centre of learning from the combined knowledge each possessed (one preacher, one carpenter, etc...). | Many of the independent Christians during the 1000 years after Columba would follow Columba's template for spreading the Gospel: a dozen men would be sent to a new region, and create a new town and centre of learning from the combined knowledge each possessed (one preacher, one carpenter, etc...).<ref>Adomnan's Vita Columbae and the cult of Colum Cille in Continental Europe, Jean-Michel Picard, June 22, 1998, National University of Ireland, Dublin.</ref> | ||
Columba's story still remained in the northern British Isles, however, and relics of Columba were carried before Scottish armies in the reliquary made at Iona in the mid-8th century, called the Brechbennoch. ''O Columba spes Scotorum...'' "O Columba, hope of the Scots" begins a 13th century prayer in the Antiphoner of Inchcolm, the "Iona of the East". | Columba's story still remained in the northern British Isles, however, and relics of Columba were carried before Scottish armies in the reliquary made at Iona in the mid-8th century, called the Brechbennoch. ''O Columba spes Scotorum...'' "O Columba, hope of the Scots" begins a 13th century prayer in the Antiphoner of Inchcolm, the "Iona of the East". | ||
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The main source of information about Columba's life is the ''Vita Columbae'' by Adomnán, who was a successor of Columba's at the monestary in Iona. Both the ''Vita Columbae'' and Bede record Columba's visit to Bridei I of the Picts, King of Fortriu. Whereas Adomnán just tells us that Columba visited Bridei, Bede relates a later, perhaps Pictish tradition, whereby the saint actually converts the Pictish king. Another early source is a poem in praise of Columba, most probably also composed in the course of the 7th century. It consists of 25 stanzas of four verses of seven syllables each. | The main source of information about Columba's life is the ''Vita Columbae'' by Adomnán, who was a successor of Columba's at the monestary in Iona. Both the ''Vita Columbae'' and Bede record Columba's visit to Bridei I of the Picts, King of Fortriu. Whereas Adomnán just tells us that Columba visited Bridei, Bede relates a later, perhaps Pictish tradition, whereby the saint actually converts the Pictish king. Another early source is a poem in praise of Columba, most probably also composed in the course of the 7th century. It consists of 25 stanzas of four verses of seven syllables each. | ||
The ''vita'' of Columba is also the source of the first known reference to the Loch Ness Monster. According to Adomnan, Columba came across a group of Picts who were burying a man killed by the monster, and saved a swimmer with the sign of the Cross and the imprecation "You will go no further", at which the beast fled terrified, to the amazement of the assembled Picts who glorified Columba's God. Whether or not this incident is true, Adomnan's text specifically states that the monster was swimming in the River Ness, rather than in the lake itself. | The ''vita'' of Columba is also the source of the first known reference to the Loch Ness Monster. According to Adomnan, Columba came across a group of Picts who were burying a man killed by the monster, and saved a swimmer with the sign of the Cross and the imprecation "You will go no further", at which the beast fled terrified, to the amazement of the assembled Picts who glorified Columba's God. Whether or not this incident is true, Adomnan's text specifically states that the monster was swimming in the River Ness, rather than in the lake itself. | ||
*'''[[The Life of Columba - Book I|The Life of Columba - Book I: Of His Prophetic Revelations]]''' | *'''[[The Life of Columba - Book I|The Life of Columba - Book I: Of His Prophetic Revelations]]''' | ||
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==Adomnan of Iona== | ==Adomnan of Iona== | ||
'''The following is adapted from BBC's Online History Pages:<ref> | '''The following is adapted from BBC's Online History Pages:<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/onthisday/onthisday.shtml?month=09&day=23</ref> | ||
:''St. Adomnan died on September 23, 704 AD. St Adomnan was a successor to Columba as the Abbot of Iona and, in about 690, he wrote 'Life of Columba' which described in detail the life of his predecessor, many of them crediting Columba with performing miracles. As such Adomnan helped to establish the cult of Columba. Although he is primarily remembered as Columba's biographer, he seems to have had a large impact on the spread of Christianity, particularly in the Pictish lands of the North East. He also drew up the 'Law of Innocents' which attempted to protect women, children and those in Holy Orders from war.'' | :''St. Adomnan died on September 23, 704 AD. St Adomnan was a successor to Columba as the Abbot of Iona and, in about 690, he wrote 'Life of Columba' which described in detail the life of his predecessor, many of them crediting Columba with performing miracles. As such Adomnan helped to establish the cult of Columba. Although he is primarily remembered as Columba's biographer, he seems to have had a large impact on the spread of Christianity, particularly in the Pictish lands of the North East. He also drew up the 'Law of Innocents' which attempted to protect women, children and those in Holy Orders from war.'' | ||
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Note: Columba should not be confused with Columbanus, another sixth century monk. | Note: Columba should not be confused with Columbanus, another sixth century monk. | ||
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