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Colum-cilleFictitious |
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A Scottish monk who is perfectly happy living away from the centers of power and civilization in his cloister. Colum-cille has been raised in the traditions of Celtic Christianity, which flourish in Ireland and England and dated to before St. Augustine arrived in England as an emissary of Pope Gregory I in 596. More focused on monasticism and regular clergy (clergy which confirmed to a monastic rule, like the regula Benedicti) than Roman Christianity, the two branches of the religion came into conflict throughout the seventh century until the Synod of Whitby (also known as the Synod of Streonshalh) was held in 664 by order of King Oswiu of Northumbria. At the Synod, which is described in the Vita Wilfridi and Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, one of the major issues to come up with the manner of calculating the date of Easter, which could vary greatly between the two churches. Oswiu eventually decided in favor of the Roman clergy, partly because Christ had bestowed upon Peter the authority of Heaven, therefore to follow anyone other than the Pope was to court damnation. Colum-cille is brought from Scotland as a pawn in Harold's battle with the papal legate, Hildebrand, and Pope Alexander II. More than happy to proselytize his own version of Celtic Christianity to King Harold, Colum-cille quickly finds himself as more than a pawn as events outrace everyone's expectations. |
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