June 9: Saint Columba of Iona

Supposedly, catch the adverb, supposedly the rainy weather is behind us. Most Portlanders are probably hoping sunshine has replaced rain the way Christianity replaced the Druids in Ireland. Where did that come from? Well, today is June 9. Many Catholics around the world celebrate June 9 for the patron saint Columba.

Who was Columba? Would I be wrong to say he was a warrior monk? You'll have to decide for yourself. He was born into Irish royalty and evangelized the Picts in Scotland before it was Scotland.

What is Iona? It was an island he turned into a monastic order and from which he evangelized Britain almost 1500 years ago, as the Celts were going out and the Anglo-Saxons were coming in.

Dismiss any thoughts of Columba being some pious monk hunched over a Gospel text penning an exact copy for himself. True, he did that, but his master claimed Columba's copy for himself. Did I mention that Columba means dove?

The local king ruled in the master's favor saying, "To every cow its calf, and to every copy its original." So Columba stirred up a war to get his copy back. Over 3,000 died in what was called "The Battle of the Books," but he won, sort of, and got his copy back. However, the Church frowned on monks starting wars so they exiled him from the church in Ireland. That's when he and some other monks set up their new headquarters, I mean monastery, on the island of Iona, after they drove the Druids out, not by war this time. Sorry general Patton.

It is said he performed a miracle and healed a crippled girl. I suppose that was enough for the locals who then decided to be Christian instead of Druid. I guess they thought you should practice what you preach. Did they know about the Battle of the Books?

Columba and his followers worked full time evangelizing not yet Scotland. They must have been successful because they had another encounter with the druadic priests, who took their complaints to King Brude. However, in what reminded me of Moses and the Egyptian magicians, their efforts were swallowed up by Columba's and they left puzzled.

To be sure, I read that he was indeed a very pious monk and had an appreciation for music, poetry and writing. In addition to evangelizing Scotland he wrote many Psalters and poems; just don't mess with his book.

Did I mention, are you ready for this ...it is Columba who supposedly, there's that word again, gave the first report of the Loch Ness monster, but that's another story you'll have to Google for yourself, and you should. Many of those in history and those on the steps of history are full of colorful stories. It is up to the audience to determine if their stories are as valid as the 6 o'clock News. I often think more so.