One of Columba’s rugged fellow apostles in the sixth century was Moluag of Lismore in Argyll. Unfortunately most of our information about him comes from later medieval works, and even this is scanty. He was ordained by Comgall who founded the famous Bangor Abbey in...
By CHE, licensed under CC BY 4.0 It is likely that our oldest Celtic crosses no longer exist because of the waves of pagan persecution in the early centuries of the church in Scotland in which Christian buildings, bibles and crosses were destroyed. A further wave of...
By CHE, licensed under CC BY 4.0 One bleak and wintry day I went into the museum at Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. With excitement I made a beeline to see the oldest Christian inscription in Scotland. There it was: a tall pillar of rock known as the Latinus Stone,...
By CHE, licensed under CC BY 4.0 ‘One day Broichan addressed St Columba, saying: “Tell me, Columba, when do you intend to sail?” “‘God willing and life lasting,” replied Columba, “we plan to start our voyage in three days’ time.” “You will not be able to,” said...
By CHE, licensed under CC BY 4.0 In the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh you will find the oldest Christian artefact in the country: the Chi-Rho. This symbol can be found on several ladles recovered from a stash of 22 kilos of exquisite silverware found by...
By CHE, licensed under CC BY 4.0 As nation after nation goes into lockdown because of the Coronavirus, so many are frightened and desperate. The social landscape we grew up with is changing – for better or worse. Although we are exploring Scottish Christian heritage...
Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons Adomnan surveyed the scene of bloody carnage. Dead bodies from the war were strewn so thickly that he could have walked across the field without stepping on the ground. It was not just the carnage that filled...
About 23 miles east of Edinburgh, near Haddington, stands Traprain Law, a hill raised by volcanic activity a long time ago. It is poised like a sentinel surveying the surrounding Lothians in a commanding position. Over 3,000 years ago this hill fort was the stronghold...