Celtic Saints in Their Landscape

The Celtic tradition of spirituality is enjoying a huge revival. With its emphasis on the pervasiveness of the divine in the world around us, its legacy of incomparable artwork and the energy, vision and charm of its saints, Celtic Christianity appeals to the present day search for purity of spirit in a tarnished civilisation. Patrick, David, Aidan, Brigid and Columba are among the passionate wanderers of Celtic Christianity whose lives and inspiration are the subject of Elizabeth Rees' book. It is not easy to come close to the Celtic saints. With a very few exceptions, their biographies were written in medieval times, centuries after their lifetime. However, the sites where Celtic monks, nuns and missionary couples lived and worked can still be seen in the more remote parts of Britain. Their huts, holy wells and chapels are often set in beautiful landscapes: sheltered valleys, dramatic headlands and rocky islands. Archaeology, the study of sites, of place names, inscribed stones and early texts can provide us with further clues about how these men and women lived. In this book, the reader can take an armchair tour of the sites where some fifty Celtic saints worked and prayed, across Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Northumbria and Cornwall. The author's own evocative photographs accompany the text. All the sites included are accessible to visitors and so the book will encourage people to set out on their own journey of discovery to meet these men and women who have so enriched us with their culture, their artistry and their faith. Please see over for Contents.

Elizabeth Rees is a Roman Catholic nun who runs a small retreat centre in the historic town of Glastonbury and leads courses on Celtic spirituality throughout the British Isles.