In the middle of a global pandemic which now has Europe as its epicentre, the Eastern part of Europe celebrates Easter today and the Western part celebrated it a week ago. In this context of unity in distress and in diversity, I couldn’t help but remember the famous expression of St Columbanus, “Totius Europae” – “of all Europe”. This expression comes from a letter sent by the saint in his letter to Pope Gregory the Great in AD600.
In the year 591AD, St Columbanus set sail from Northern Ireland to continental Europe and founded several monasteries across modern day France, Belgium, Germany, Italy. These monasteries would multiply and would contribute to the formation of a European identity.
In recognition of St Columbanus, in July 1950 a congress was organised in Luxeuil in eastern France to celebrate the 1,400th anniversary since his birth. This congress was initiated by Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union, who was at the time foreign minister of France and a tireless promoter of understanding and co-operation among European countries.
In his speech from that congress Schuman said:
“St Columban, this illustrious Irishman who left his own country for voluntary exile, willed and achieved a spiritual union between the principal European countries of his time. He is the patron saint of all those who now seek to build a united Europe.”
From East to West and from North to the South of Europe, in the midst of a global pandemic, Europe is beginning to rediscover what “Totius Europae” might mean.
Here is the excerpt of the song that St. Columbanus sang together with his disciples on his way to continental Europe, the full text of which can be read above: “Endure and keep yourselves for happy things: you suffered worse, and these too God shall end” – some inspiration for nowadays?
And finally, a most beautiful picture from a place from where he sailed off to Europe:
