The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-11-20

119 Ma A 44OA<l
nothing more to do with these holy
men; they were thus free to go where
they pleased.
On the Rhine.
Columbanus made his way to the
friendly King Clothaire at scissors in
Neustria, where he was gladly well
coined. Clothaire in vain pressed him
to remain in his territory. Colum-
banus left Neustria In GIL for the
court of King Theodebert of Aus
trasia. At Metz he received an hon
orable welcome and then proceeding
to Mainz, he embarked upon the
Rhine in order to reach the Suevi and
Alamanni, to whom he wished to
preach the gospel Ascending the
river and it's tributaries, the Aar and
the Limmat, he came to the Lake of
Zurich. Tuggen was chosen as a
centre from which to evangelize, but
the work was not successful Instead
of producing fruit, the zeal of Column
banus only excited persecution. In
despair he resolved to pass on by way
of Arbon to Bregenz on Lake Con-
stance, where there were still some
traces of Christianity. Here the
saint found an oratory dedicated to
st. Aurelia, into which the people had
brought three brass images of their
tutelary deities He commanded ST..
Gall, who knew the language, to
preach to the inhabitants, and many
were converted. The images were
destroyed, and Columbanus blessed
the little church, placing the relics of
st. Aurelia beneath the altar. A mon
astery was erected, and the brethren
forthwith observed their regular life.
After about a year, in consequence of
another rising against the community.
Columbanus resolved to cross the Alps
into Italy. An additional reason for
his departure was the fact that the
arms of Thierry had prevailed against
Theodebert, and thus the country on
the banks of the Upper Rhine became
the property of his enemy.
Founded Monastery at Bohbio.
On his arrival in Milan in 612, Col
umbanus met with kindly welcome
from King Agilulf and Queen Theode-
linda. He Immediately began to con-
flute the Arians and wrote treatise
against their teaching which has been
lost.
But it was necessary that in
Italy Columbanus should have a
settled abode, SO the king gave him
a tract of land called Bobbio, between
Milan and Genoa, near the River
Trebbia, situated in a defle of the
Apprentices. On his way thither he
taught the faith in the town of Nom
brione, which is called San Colombano
to this day. At Bobbio the saint re-
paired the half-ruined church of St
Peter, and erected his celebrated
abbey, which for centuries was a
of orthodoxy in Northern
Italy Thither came Clothaire's mes
sengers inviting the aged abbot to re-
turn now that his enemies were dead
But he could not go. He sent a re-
quest that the king would always pro
tect his dear monks at LuXeuil. He
for death by retiring to his
cave on the mountainside overlooking
the Trebbia, where, according to
tradition, he had dedicated an oratory
to Our Lady. He died on November
q, in the year 615.
His body has been preserved in the
abbey church at Bobbio, and many
miracles are said to have been
wrought there through his interces-
sion. In 1882 the relics were placed
in new shrine and laid beneath the
altar of the crypt, where they are still
venerated. The sacristy at Bobbio
possesses a portion of the skull of the.
saint, his knife, wooden cup, bell and
an ancient water vessel, formerly con-
tanning sacred relics and said to have
been given him by ST. Gregory st.
Columbanus is named in the Roman
on November q, but his.
feast is kept by the Benedictines and
throughout Ireland on November "a.
Inspired Other Missionaries.
The example of Columbanus in the
sixth century stands out as the proto-
type of missionary enterprise towards
the countries of Europe SO eagerly
followed up. from England and Ire
land by such men as Killian, Virgil
ius. Donatus, Wilfrid, Willibrord,
Swithbert, and Boniface. If Column
banus' abbey in Italy became citadel
of faith and learning, Luxeuil in
France became the nursery of saints
and apostles. From it's walls went
forth men who carried his rule, to-
gether with the Gospel, into France,
Germany, Switzerland and Italy.
There are said to have been sixty
three such apostles. These disciples
of Columbanus are accredited with
founding over one hundred different
The canton and town
which still bear the name of st. Gall
testify how well one disciple sue
ceeded.