Celtic Saints Lives of the Holy Exiles

They may be coated in layers of myth and pious anecdote but dig deep enough and the pioneering leaders of Celtic Christianity are revealed as reassuringly human individuals, responding to their faith by deliberately living on the edges of society. Arranged chronologically and spanning a period of around four centuries, Celtic Saints peers back through legend to present concise accounts of the lives of Celtic Christianity's key figures. We learn of their individual traits and journeys and, through them, about the distinctive features of their tradition. From the goddess-nun Brigid and absent-minded Cainnech to severe ascetics such as Columbanus and Baldred, together they demonstrate a close connection with the natural world, an astonishing self-discipline and, above all, a rigorous commitment to what it meant to be a 'pilgims for Christ'.