:
Alternative uses: see Iona (disambiguation).thumb
Iona is a small island, 1 mile wide (1.6 km) and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long, in the Inner Hebrides,
Scotland. Its Gaelic name is
Ì Chaluim Cille (Saint
Columba's Island), or sometimes just
Ì or
Idhe. It is approximately one mile (1 600 m) from the coast of Mull. It has a resident population of 175.
In
563 Saint
Columba, exiled from his native
Ireland, founded a monastery here with 12 companions. From here they set about the conversion of pagan Scotland and much of northern
England to
Christianity. Iona's fame as a place of learning and Christian mission spread throughout
Europe and it became a major site of pilgrimage. Iona became a holy island where several kings of
Scotland,
Ireland and
Norway came to be buried.
left
Many believe that the Book of Kells was produced, in whole or in part, on Iona towards the end of the 8th century. A series of
Viking raids on the monastery on Iona began in
794, and after its treasures had been plundered many times Columba’s relics were removed and divided two ways between Scotland and Ireland in
849 as the monastery was abandoned.
[BBC - Iona - A Beacon of Light Through the Dark Ages ] A convent for the Order of Benedictine Nuns was established in
1203, with Beathag, daughter of Somerled, as first prioress. The present Benedictine abbey was built in the same period. The monastery itself flourished until the Reformation.
Iona became the burial site for the kings of Dál Riata and their successors, the early kings of Scotland. Notable burials there include:
*King Donald II of Scotland
*King Malcolm I of Scotland
*King Duncan I of Scotland
*King Macbeth of Scotland
*King Donald III of Scotland
*John Smith
The ancient burial ground, called the Reilig Odhráin, contains the 12th century chapel of St Odhrán (said to be
Columba's uncle), restored at the same time as the Abbey itself. It contains a number of medieval grave monuments. Other early Christian and medieval monuments have been removed for preservation to the cloister arcade of the Abbey, and the Abbey museum (in the medieval informary). The ancient buildings of Iona Abbey are now cared for by Historic Scotland (entrance charge).
In
1938 George MacLeod founded the Iona Community,
an ecumenical Christian community of men and women from different walks of life and different traditions in the Christian church committed to seeking new ways of living the gospel of Jesus in today's world. This community is a leading force in the present Celtic Christianity revival.
The Iona Community runs 3 residential centres on the Isle of Iona and on Mull. These are places of welcome and engagement giving a unique opportunity to live together in community with people of every background from all over the world. Weeks at the centres often follow a programme related to the concerns of the Iona Community.
thumb
Iona Abbey, now an ecumenical church, is of particular historical and religious interest to pilgrims and visitors alike. It is the most elaborate and best-preserved ecclesiastical building surviving from the Middle Ages in the Western Isles of
Scotland. In front of the Abbey stands the 9th century St Martin's Cross, one of the best-preserved Celtic crosses in the British Isles, and a replica of the 8th century St John's Cross (original fragments in the Abbey museum).
thumb, Iona]]
Also of note, Iona Nunnery is a site of beautiful 12th-13th century ruins of the church and cloister, and a colourful and peaceful garden. Iona's is the most complete survival of a medieval nunnery in
Scotland. Iona is popular among visitors for its tranquility and natural beauty. Its geographical features include the Bay at the Back of the Ocean and the Hill with His Back to Ireland, said to be adjacent to the beach where Saint Columba landed.
See also
*Clann-an-oistir
External links
*
Isle of Iona, Scotland (produced on behalf of the Iona Community Council)
*
The Iona Community * Computer-generated virtual panorama
Summit of Iona Index *
References
Category:Celtic art
Category:National Trust for Scotland properties
*
