Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage, Day 14: Arran and the Sannox Christian Center

St. David's Episcopal Church

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage

led by

Ken and Darlene Swanson

Day 14, April 17th: Arran and the Sannox Christian Center

We drove from Glasgow early in the morning to catch a ferry to the Island of Arran.  Arran is one of the Inner Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland.    Arran has a rich history stretching back to neolithic times.  It was also a center of Celtic Christianity, beginning with St. Brendan in the 6th century.  It is stunningly beautiful and is a favorite vacation spot for the Irish and British.

View of Brodick from the ferry.

Swans off the beach at Corrie.

When we arrived on the island, we were met by George and Fiona Hazel, close friends of Ken and Darlene Swanson.  They are the founders of the Sannox Christian Center.  Sannox, on the northeastern  shore of the island, was the site of a major Christian revival in the early 19th century.  But due to the Highland Clearances, all of its residents were forced off the land.  Most of Sannox's men, women and children emigrated to Canada, leaving Sannox empty of people.  George Hazel had a vision to found a Christian center based on the principles of Celtic spirituality at this historic site of renewal.  When he began, all that was there was a derelict church.  Today the church and several residential buildings are in the process of restoration.

The Sannox Church.

The church interior.

George's vision has resulted in many talented professional builders coming together to design and begin constructing a retreat center, thoroughly Christian but open to all, based on Celtic themes of personal prayer, hospitality and mission.  

George sharing the design plans.

Later in the afternoon George led our pilgrims and members of the Sannox community in worship.

Ken celebrated the Eucharist.

Communicating the congregation.

After church, Fiona hosted a time for tea and cakes.



Chatting with George.



George and Ken have been friends for over 40 years.  George and Fiona visited St. David's, Roswell two years ago, where he gave a presentation on the Sannox vision for Celtic renewal.   He is wearing a St. David's Men's Club shirt.

We later caught a ferry back to the mainland and returned to Glasgow for our final night on the pilgrimage.  Our coach driver Dave safely carried us on dozens of difficult, rural roads.  

We will always remember the excellence and wit of our tour manager Siobhan McDonald.  As one pilgrim said, "There are a thousand reasons to love Siobhan!"

Tomorrow we will be on our way home, changed forever by the Celtic vision of Christian faith.

Many thanks to our faithful readers for your prayers and support. God bless you! Please be on the lookout for news of our next pilgrimage to be in the spring of 2017. 

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage, Day 13: Iona

St. David's Episcopal Church

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage

led by

Ken and Darlene Swanson

Day 13, April 16th: Iona

We travelled across the island of Mull for the second time to take the ferry across to Iona.  Today was clear and bright, and the wind not nearly so difficult as yesterday.

Approaching Iona.

We immediately walked up to the Abbey for a group shot.

Darlene gave a teaching on St. Columba in the Abbey Church's choir, near the high altar.

Darlene stressed how Columba reflected the biblical pattern of other giants of faith, such as Moses, David, Peter and Paul all of whom were forgiven and redeemed by God after committing grievous sins. Early in Columba's ministry while still in Ireland, his hot temper, pride, and sense of entitlement led to a clash of two clans and the deaths of over 3000 soldiers.  Columba was thus exiled from Ireland.  That is why he came to Iona in Scotland. With a deeply repentant heart, he founded his monastery on Iona vowing to serve God and others for the remainder of his life.  Despite Columba's shortcomings, God used him in a mighty way to spread the gospel.    

The pilgrims then had the rest of the day to spend in silence, finding ways to enter into the powerful presence of God on Iona; to experience this 1400 year old "thin place"of Celtic Christianity.  

Some explored the Abbey Museum which recreated the monastic life on Iona over the centuries.

The monks cared for one another in life and death.

The Book of Kells was created in the Iona scriptorium, and was only later taken to Kells Abbey in Ireland for safekeeping.

Kings desired to be buried on Iona.

The island became the major pilgrimage site for all Celtic Christians.

Other pilgrims sought communion with God through prayer.

In St. Michael's Chapel.

Before St. Martin's Cross.

In Columba's Shrine shadowed by St. John's Cross

Others sought out isolated places on the Island to pray.

One intrepid group hiked in silence nearly seven miles to the highest point on Iona to view Columba's Bay on the very south shore, the place where Columba and his twelve companions landed in 563AD.

Tired, but blessed by this most holy place, we left Iona, went back across Mull, took a ferry to the mainland and drove to Glasgow, where we will be for two nights.  Tomorrow, our final day, we will travel to Arran to visit a The Sannox Christian Center, a 21st century expression of Celtic Christianity.  

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage, Day 12: Iona

St. David's Episcopal Church

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage

led by

Ken and Darlene Swanson

Day 12, April 15th: Iona

Today was the long anticipated culmination of our pilgrimage--the Island of Iona.  Up very early, we drove from Edinburgh across the Trossochs (the southwestern Highlands of Scotland) to Oban, where we caught the ferry to Craignure on the Island of Mull.  Then we drove on a single lane road (with passing turnoffs) to the very tip of Mull to catch the ferry to Iona.  It was a crystal clear, sunny day, but with a fierce north wind that kept us bundled up tight while we were outside.

Approaching Iona.

St. Columba (Columcille in Gaelic) sailed with 12 companions from Ireland 563 A.D. and landed on Iona, a tiny island in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland.  Many scholars of Christian spirituality consider Iona to be not just a "thin place" (where the separation between heaven and earth is tissue "thin"), but one of the "thinnest" places on earth.  Scots refer to Iona simply as Holy Island.  Columba established what many believe is the most important monastery in the history of Christianity.  He was an Irish prince, the great great grandson of the High King, who had devoted his life to Christ.  He was tall, robust and handsome, with a powerful voice and compelling personality.

Since the time of Columba, there has been an active community of prayer on Iona, almost without a break, for over 1500 years.  The present abbey buildings were rebuilt in the 20th century.

Buffeted by the wind, our pilgrims trudged up the road from the pier to the abbey.

Pilgrims entering the abbey.

Mary, a local guide, talked with us in the nave of the monastery church about Columba and the history of the monastery.

That was followed by a teaching from Ken in the abbey Chapter House on Columba.

Along with Sts. Patrick, Brigid and Aidan, Columba is the greatest of the Celtic saints.  He was a fearless evangelist, taking the gospel to the pagan Scots in the south and west of Scotland, and the  violent pagan Picts in the north and east. He was so blessed by the Holy Spirit, at the end of his life, all of Scotland was becoming Christian.  

What was most remarkable about Columba was the joy and love of God that emanated from his being and person.  People flocked to be near him because he was so winsome and charismatic.  When he was alone in solitude and quiet, wild animals would surround him, laying peacefully at his feet.  He was an outstanding scribe, and loved to be in the monastery scriptorium, copying out beautiful manuscripts of the the Psalter and the Gospels.  He is often depicted holding a book or copying a biblical text. 

During his lifetime, Iona became the major pilgrimage site in Celtic Christianity as thousands wanted to be near and be blessed by him.  Kings came for his council and many kings are buried at Iona.  At the end of his life, Columba would retire to a cell on a hill near the monastery to pray for the monks in his care.  

Our pilgrims spent the remainder of the day in quiet meditation on the monastery grounds and in the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

The High Crosses.

Across the cloister.

Praying in the nave of the monastery church.

Through a nave window.

We returned to our hotel on Mull in the late afternoon, anticipating another time for prayer on Iona tomorrow.  

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage, Day 11, Edinburgh

St. David's Episcopal Church

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage

led by

Ken and Darlene Swanson

Day 11, April 14th: Edinburgh

Finally we had a sunny day, although it remained very chilly.  We drove north into Scotland.  The actual border crossing was highlighted by a stop with a piper.  

The pilgrims enter Scotland.

We continued north driving through the borders, in beautiful rolling country, passing through several picturesque towns.  We stopped at Jedburgh Abbey, the great Augustinian monastery in the Scotland which helped to cement the transition from Celtic to Roman Catholic spirituality in the 12th century.

We entered Edinburgh, Scotland's capital and Ken Swanson's home in the late 1970's, in the late morning.  

We walked up the Royal Mile toward Edinburgh Castle.

The pilgrims at Edinburgh Castle.

The castle, high on a bluff dominates the city and on this crystal clear day provided wonderful views of the city.  There are multiple buildings in the castle, including regimental dormitories, a royal palace which holds the crown jewels of Scotland, and the tiny St. Margaret's Chapel dedicated to the 11th century Queen of Scotland who was famous for her piety and Christian devotion.  

The altar in St. Margaret's Chapel

We also toured Holyrood Palace, the Scottish residence of Queen Elizabeth II, which holds rooms filled with historical interest from the time of Mary Queen of Scots.  

Tomorrow we're off to Iona, the island where St. Columba founded his monastery in 563.  Called Holy Island by the Scots, it is felt by many to be the premier "thin place" in Celtic spirituality.