Saints

Irish monk, missionary and poet. Born at Gartan in Co Donegal, in 521, Columba was trained as a monk first by Finian of Moville and then by Finian of Clonard. He spent 15 years in Ireland preaching and founding monasteries - the greatest of these being Kells, Durrow and Derry. Then in 565 he left with twelve companions for the Scottish island of Iona. There he founded the community that was to b... Read More

Archbishop. A patron saint of victims of injustice. William of York's early career in the church was very successful. As a young man in 1130, he was appointed treasurer of York and chaplain to King Steven. He was known as a kind and good-natured person. When the Archbishop of York died, the authorities chose William as his successor. From that time on things went badly wrong, as he became the i... Read More

Saint Landry is known mainly for his work with the sick. From the time he was consecrated Bishop of Paris in 650, he devoted himself to their care - founding the city's first hospital, dedicated to St Christopher, next to Notre Dame Cathedral. His generosity was so great that in times of famine, Landry sold or pawned the sacred vessels and his own furniture in order to relieve the suffering of th... Read More