Visions and Voyages: The Story of Celtic Spirituality

Using history, and a thoughtful examination of legends, Fay Sampson weaves the strands of Celtic Christianity - like Celtic knotwork - into a continuous story, exciting and unsentimental.

As the Roman empire crumbled, Celtic Christians threw themselves into pilgrimage and quest. They found their visionary islands on Skellig Michael, Iona, Lindisfarne. . .

Yet their spirituality was essentially concerned with politics and people. Brigid ruled a monastery for women and men, princesses and slaves, while Arthur was defending Celtic Britain against English invaders. Columban was deported from Burgundy. Aidan died protesting against his king. Some did slam the monastery gates on the sinful world. More tramped into the hills, staff in hand, to stand alongside ordinary people.

Fay Sampson is a widely published author with a particular interest in fantasy and Celtic history. She has been shortlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize on three occasions and is a winner of the Barco de Vapor award.
-Publisher.

Publisher Description

As the Roman Empire began to crumble, Celtic Christians began to embark more often on pilgrimages and quests. They found visionary islands on Skellig Michael, Iona, and Lindisfarne, yet their spirituality was largely concerned with politics and people. Brigid ruled a monastery for women and men, princesses and slaves, while Arthur was defending Celtic Britain against English invaders, and Aidan died protesting against his king. While some Celtic Christians did slam the monastery gates on the sinful world, most tramped into the hills to stand alongside ordinary people. Drawing on historical documents and a thoughtful examination of legends, this is an insightful resource that unveils the development of and tenets behind the various strands of Celtic Christianity.