18—St. Colman, Bishop, A.D. 676.
On the death of St. Finan, another monk of Iona was chosen to succeed him in the see of {26} Lindisfarne. This was Colman, who, like Finan, was of Irish nationality. At the time a fierce controversy was raging in Britain as to the correct calculation of Easter. The Roman system of computation had undergone various changes until it was finally fixed towards the end of the sixth century. It was adopted gradually throughout the Church, but Britain and Ireland still retained their ancient method. In consequence of this it sometimes happened that when the Celtic Church was keeping Easter, the followers of the Roman computation were still observing Lent. This was the case in the Court of Oswy, King of Bernicia, who followed the Celtic rite, while his Queen Eanfleada and her chaplains, who had been accustomed to the Roman style, kept the festival in accordance with it.
To bring about uniformity a synod was held at Whitby to give the advocates of either system an opportunity of stating their views. St. Wilfrid, the great upholder of Roman customs, brought such weighty arguments for his side that the majority of those present were persuaded to accept the Roman computation. {27} St. Colman, however, since the Holy See had not definitely settled the matter, could not bring himself to give up the traditional computation which his dear master, St. Columba, had held to. He, therefore, resigned his see, after ruling it for three years only, and with such of the Lindisfarne monks as held the same views retired to Iona.
On his way thither he seems to have founded the church of Fearn in Forfarshire, which he dedicated to St. Aidan, placing there some of the saint's relics brought with him from Lindisfarne. He also founded a church in honour of the same saint at Tarbert in Easter-Ross. This, however, was afterwards called by his own name.
After a short stay at Iona, St. Colman re turned to Ireland and founded a monastery at Inisbofin, an island on the west coast of that country, peopling it with the monks who had left Lindisfarne in his company. Later on a new foundation was made at Mayo for Saxon monks only; it became known as "Mayo of the Saxons." The saint ruled both monasteries till his death, which occurred at Inisbofin, where {28} he was buried. He had translated thither the greater part of St. Aidan's relics. The ruins of the ancient church may still be seen on the island. St. Colman's feast has been restored to Scotland by Pope Leo XIII.
Protestant writers have tried to interpret St. Colman's conduct regarding the Synod of Whitby as a manifest opposition to Roman authority. This, however, is a mistaken conclusion. It must be remembered that the matter was regarded by him as an open question, and he considered himself justified in keeping to the traditional usage until Rome declared against it. St. Bede, who had no sympathy with his views on the Easter question, speaks highly of St. Colman as a holy and zealous Bishop.
There is some discrepancy between Scottish and Irish authorities as to the precise date of the saint's death. In Scotland he was honoured on this day, but Irish writings give the date as August 8. There are also some slight differences in the particulars of his life; but as no less than 130 saints of this name are mentioned in Irish ecclesiastical records, it is conceivable that their histories have become intermixed. {29}
23—St. Boisil, Confessor, A.D. 664.
The old abbey of Melrose was not the Cistercian house whose ruins still remain, but an earlier monastery which had been founded by St. Aidan and followed the rule of St. Columba, which was afterwards changed for that of St. Benedict. The Roman usage regarding Easter was adopted there, very soon after the Synod of Whitby. Its abbot was the holy Eata, who was given the government of Lindisfarne Abbey also, when many of its monks followed St. Colman to Ireland. Just before these events occurred the subject of this notice was called to his reward. He was prior of Melrose under Eata, and it was he, who, being a monk and priest of surpassing merit and prophetic spirit, as St. Bede says, welcomed with joy and gave the monastic habit to a youth in whom he saw "a servant of the Lord"—the future St. Cuthbert. The two became devoted friends, and Boisil, who was especially learned in the Scriptures, became Cuthbert's master in that science, as well as his example in holy living.
In 664 a terrible epidemic called the Yellow Plague visited Scotland and carried off numbers {30} of the inhabitants. Boisil and Cuthbert were both attacked by the malady, and the lives of both were endangered. The holy prior, however, from the beginning foretold the recovery of Cuthbert and his own death. Summoning the latter to his bedside, he prophesied his future greatness, relating all that was to befall him in the years to come, and especially his elevation to the episcopal rank. Then he begged Cuthbert to assist him during the seven days of life which remained to him to finish the study of St. John's Gospel on which they had been engaged. In this they occupied themselves till St. Boisil's peaceful death.