St. Columba's Day Honors the History of Celtic Art on June 9th

June 02, 2020

St. Columba, one of the many Celtic saints revered by lovers of Celtic heritage, is celebrated on his feast day every June 9th. This is also Celtic Art Day. St. Columba Day was chosen as the day to recognize the beauty and history of Celtic art because Columba himself is associated with two of the most beautiful works of art in history – the Book of Kells and the Book of Durrow. Both of these works are filled with pages of incredibly intricate imagery and knotwork on their illuminated pages. Legends in Scotland sometimes link the creation of the Book of Kells to Columba, although historians dispute this tale.

Columba was also an accomplished scholar and artist himself. He copied illuminated manuscripts himself and is known to have composed at least three Latin hymns that are still in existence today. He was reputed to have an exceptional musical voice. He continues to be associated with both Christian faith and Celtic art in Scotland and Ireland today.

Walker Metalsmiths’ Saint Columba Medal

We carry on the tradition of celebrating St. Columba's many links to Celtic art through our original interpretations of Celtic heritage and the saint at Walker Metalsmiths. One of our most unique Celtic pendants is our Saint Columba Celtic medal. It features a representation of the saint on one side with two herons. This represents the allegorical tale of the fulfillment of a dream he had on the island of Iona. On the reverse side, a St. Columba’s Pillow Cross and dove, both symbols of the saint. This beautiful medal was designed in-house using age-old techniques and hand-crafted using traditional Celtic artistic themes to honor our heritage.

Celtic Crosses to Celebrate Celtic Art and St. Columba’s Feast Day

Walker Metalsmiths has designed two lovely Celtic crosses representing St. Columba. These are classic examples of the beauty of Celtic art. Our Colum Cille Celtic Pectoral Cross was designed with unique designs on each side. It gives you two distinct options to wear depending on your fashion sense. Colum Cille means "Dove of the Church," one of the many names given to Columba. Both sides of the cross feature elegant knotwork, with one side also featuring a chalice and dove. For added elegance, you can have it set these Celtic pendants set with one of several stones, including Amethyst, Iona Bloodstone, Garnet, or Connemara Marble.

The Sterling Silver Colum Cille Cross, also an original design by our Master Craftsman, Stephen Walker, features Celtic knotwork reflecting Columbus's status as the Dove of the Church. In this lovely interpretation, there are three doves on the cross and a trinity knot in the center. On the back of the cross, intricate, interlocking swirls and knotwork frame a smaller version of the central trinity knot. These Celtic crosses feature a nimbus ring or halo around the center.

Give the gift of a Celtic necklace in honor of both St. Columba’s Feast Day and Celtic Art Day this June 9th is a lovely and thoughtful way to combine both your faith and our heritage. At Walker Metalsmiths, we’ve combined the beauty of both in our richly detailed collection of sterling silver Celtic pendants.

The stained glass artwork shown in this blog was handcrafted by Celtic artist Ruth Black. Her works and art can be viewed at the following link here!

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