Irish Monastic Movement - Saint Columbanus
Born in the Kingdom of Meath in 543, he studied under Sinell, Abbot of Cluaninis in Lough Erne. Afterwards, Saint Columbanus moved to Bangor Abbey and remained there until he began his travels to the European continent. He spent twenty years in France and established many monasteries, most notably the Luxeuil Abbey. In France, he gathered a huge following and he had conflict with the French bishops who feared his influence. Columbanus defended his position and Celtic customs strongly with the bishops and continued by sending three letters to the Pope. In addition to speaking out against the Roman Church, Columbanus had issues with the French royal family that culminated in his abduction and he was to be banished to Ireland. He managed to escape and travelled to the Alps. Here, he established the Mehrerau Abbey around the grounds of an oratory dedicated to St. Aurelia. However, Columbanus’s old enemy King Theudebert II took hold of the region and an uprising followed against his co...
