The island became a place of pilgrimage and royal burial as its fame as a centre of learning spread far and wide. This island set apart, this motherland of many dreams,still yields its secret, but it is only as men seek that they truly find. To reach the heart of Iona is to find something eternal. Troup Travelling to the western isles of Scotland is partly a journey to the light, for as you travel west towards the Atlantic the quality of light changes — becoming translucid, more heavenly and less earthly.
At the same time the sea mists bring rainbows of every kind — short and transient, or vast and arcing across the sea. The reason why so many are drawn to this small island that is only 1.
One of its old names was Isla na Druidhneach — Isle of the Druids. The island, however, shows no traces of megalithic structures, but this may indicate that the island was indeed considered sacred. Demetrius told Plutarch that on sailing around the coast he had discovered an island which was a retreat for holy men who were considered inviolate by the local people.
Some scholars believe this island was Iona. The Arrival of Columba By the sixth century any reputation the island may have had for fostering pagan sages was eclipsed when the Christian missionary Columba arrived from Ireland with 12 companions.
He had taken the name Columba, Latin for dove, as a religious name, preferring it to the one he had been given at birth — Crimthann, Gaelic for fox. Having studied in monastic schools, Columba had founded the monastery of Derry in Ulster at the age of He then travelled the length of Ireland for 15 years preaching and founding hundreds of churches and monasteries. At the age of 42 he left Ireland in search of fresh pastures for conversion.
Some say he provoked a battle in which many were killed in a dispute over his right to keep a copy he had made of a psalter belonging to the scriptorium of St Finian. According to this version of history, Columba exiled himself from his homeland in order to work in penance as a missionary in Scotland.
Soon monks from Iona were travelling all over Scotland, building churches and preaching the gospel. Three prelates from Iona founded the monastery of Lindisfarne, which became the most important Christian centre in the north of Britain.
Columba gained a reputation for both saintliness and strong leadership, and clan chiefs and kings eagerly sought his advice. The island became a power-house in the spread of the new religion.
The abbey was impressive in its own right, but I was more interested in looking for the traces of St. Columba still to be found. One such spot juts up right in front of the abbey. That is where he transcribed books, wrote hymns and governed his small community. On top of the small hill is a stone socket, all that remains of a cross that use to mark the spot. From this spot, I could look around and identify other places associated with Columba and the early monks.
Past the cobblestones, just outside the door of the abbey church, is St. It was probably here that the monastic community kept the bones of their revered founder. In front of the shrine, I could see where three richly decorated high crosses were placed in the eighth and ninth centuries.
The original St. A modern replica stands in place of St. On St. Originally painted bright colors, such pictures were a way to teach the mostly illiterate medieval pilgrims about the Bible. It declined in the ninth century as a result of Viking attacks and in the s the site was taken over by the new Benedictine order. The capitals in the chancel are carved with motifs including flowers, demons and biblical stories.
The cathedral is adjoined by a reconstructed Romanesque cloister , with modern reliefs on the capitals and a modern bronze sculpture in the central garden. Unfortunately, all the tombstones were thrown into the sea at the Reformation. The Iona Community is a monastic-inspired organization of Christians from a variety of denominations who commit to daily prayer and Bible readings, sharing of time and money, regular gatherings and working for the causes of peace, justice and spiritual health in society.
Currently led by the Rev. Kathy Galloway, the Community has three centers in the Western Isles - two on Iona and one on Mull - and a mainland headquarters in Glasgow. In addition to maintaining the abbey buildings and serving the spiritual needs of its members, the Iona Community offers a number of services and events to visitors. For daily visitors, it conducts daily services in the abbey church, provides guided tours of the abbey and operates the Iona Heritage Centre and a coffee shop open daily 10ampm.
Every Wednesday, members of the Community lead a 7-mile hike to the island's holy and historic spots. There are also regular workshops on Christianity and youth camps. For those looking for a more in-depth spiritual experience on Iona, the Iona Community provides modest room and board for up to 50 guests per week. During their stay, participants join with members of the community in worship, common meals, education, social activities and chores.
Iona is reached by a frequent ferry from Fionnphort on the adjacent Isle of Mull, which takes just 10 minutes. For most visitors, the journey begins at the pretty port town of Oban on the west coast of the mainland, from which it is minute ferry ride to Craignure and a 1-hour bus ride across Mull to Fionnphort.
Only Iona residents are allowed to bring cars to the island, but Iona is so small that they are rarely needed. Most visitors to Iona come for the day, but there are a few good hotels on the island for those who want to extend their stay.
See Travel Resources, below. Below is a location map and aerial view of Iona Abbey. Using the buttons on the left or the wheel on your mouse , you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings.
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