Iona
An Icon of Christianity

This tiny island in the northwestern part of Scotland is unique. Its size is roughly 3 miles by 1.5 miles. The weather is not warm and balmy. The weather reminded me of Iceland’s weather - brisk and breezy. Walking is the primary mode of transportation. The landscape is awesome. There are a lot of sheep and fishing. The population is about 100. The school age children have to go to the mainland to attend high school. It attracts over 140,000 visitors per year. And, many of these visitors keep coming back. I hope to be one of them.

Iona is not easy to access. I had to go by plane to Edinburgh, take a train to Glasgow, transfer to another train to Oban, from Oban take a ferry to the Island of Mull, a bus across the island of Mull, another ferry to the Island of Iona and then drag my bags up the road to the Inn. It was quite a trek and well worth it.

When St. Columba arrived in Iona back in the early 560s, legend has it that this is where his boat washed ashore. Regardless of how they arrived, Columba and his band of twelve monks faced great hardships on this tiny island. They used it as their home base. Here Columba began his missionary work. Columba was kindly given permission to preach, convert, and baptize the folks in this part of the world. From Iona, his disciples went out to found other monasteries and these in turn became centers of missionary activity. Hence, Iona was and still is a place of pilgrimage and an active center of missionary activity to this region and the world.

In closing, here is the collect for St. Columba found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts.

O, God, by the preaching
of your blessed servant Columba
You caused the light of the Gospel
to shine in Scotland:
Grant, we pray, that, having his life
and labors in remembrance,
We may show our thankfulness to you by following the example of his zeal and patience:
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever. Amen