540 A.D. - 615 A.D.

Feast Day: November 23rd

(Taken from the Parish Pictorial Directory 2009)

St. Columbanus was born in 540 A.D. in West Leinster, Ireland. He was educated in Bangor, which was the foremost school in Ireland at the time.

Legend has it that his mother, in a dream, saw a light shining from her own breast, a phenomenon her neighbors interpreted as a sign her unborn child should bring faith to many. Ironically, when Columbanus decided to renounce the world and adopt a celibate life, his mother begged him not to leave her.

At the age of 40, Columbanus began his missionary journey. He first traveled to Britian and later sailed to France. Columbanus then moved to Austria, and King Sigibert was so impressed with his zeal and spiritual message that he begged the Irishman to stay in his kingdom. While in Austria, Cloumbanus lived a very strict and penitential life, founded several monasteries, and did much to spread and strengthen the faith in that country.

In time, civil strife broke out in Austria and Columbanus found himself back in France, but later returned to Austria. In all his travels, he brought many people into the faith, advised popes, kings, and other court members, built monasteries, and continually preached the gospel.

St. Columbanus was 73 years old when he arrived in Italy and was given a tract of land in Boggio, situated between Milan and Genoa, by the King of Lombardy. Columbanus worked to combat both the Arian Heresy (which denied the Divinity of Christ) and the Nestorian Heresy (which denied the duel nature of Christ as God and as man). In an effort to solve these controversies, Columbanus wrote a 5,000 word letter to Pope Bonofice IV.

On November 23, 615 A.D., Columbanus died in Italy. His name, even to this day, is honored in France, Germany, Italy and Ireland. When he first asked permission to go abroad, Columbanus reminded his abbot,

"I have come to cast first upon the earth and what will I, but that it be kindled."