Towards the end of the 6th century, several groups of Irish monks landed in Europe with a project: to restore the authentic Christian faith to the continent, which had been deviated and contaminated by wars and invasions; to re-establish “the Catholic faith… which is preserved in Ireland pure and uncontaminated”. This is what the most famous of them wrote to Pope Boniface IV: Columbanus, coming from Bangor, the most famous and severe monastery in Ireland. Like other compatriots, Columbanus was attracted by adventure: to take to the sea, to launch himself onto the continent. He studied the Bible and the ancient Fathers, but also the greats of pagan literature: from Virgil to Seneca, Horace, Ovid…

King Guntrano of Burgundy let the monks settle among the ruins of a town destroyed by Attila, and here they gave life to what would become a very famous abbey, Luxeuil. They bring you the rigor of Bangor, the rough asceticism dear to Columbanus, in profound contrast to the Benedictine one that begins its journey in Europe (Benedict died around 547 and is close and friendly to man in his virtues and weaknesses, with his enlightened attention to the person).

But here in Gaul everything is hard and bloody. The heirs of Clovis wrest lands, goods and subjects from each other with all their weapons. Today they found a church and tomorrow they command a massacre. Of enemies, of course. But here even brothers are enemies. And even grandmothers, like Queen Brunechilde, cunning and ruthless on her part, and then destined to a horrible death by her relatives.

To all this Columbanus reacts with the commandment of the most severe disinterest. He even forbids his monks to pronounce the words mine, yours, and for those who make mistakes they are beaten. A radical aversion to the politics of having, to the very way of life of the powerful. And this cannot make his life peaceful. Furthermore, a disagreement over the date of Easter, also puts him at odds with the local clergy (“This is not Ireland!”).

So he will have to leave Luxeuil and wander in Germany, Switzerland and finally in Italy. In Milan he is welcomed by the Lombard king Agilulf and his wife Theodolinda. Arians, not Catholics. But interested in a policy of truce, and attracted by the figure of the Irish abbot, by his events in Gaul. They give him a piece of land on the banks of the Trebbia, in the province of Piacenza. And here the abbey of Bobbio is born: the last founded by him (apostle of faith and also of classical culture) to become a center of faith and study.

In Bobbio Columbanus is reached by an embassy of the Frankish king Clotaire II: all past, all forgotten, the abbot should return to Luxeuil! But the austere monk from Ireland remains in Italy, in the newly born cenoby. He dedicates the last year of his life to it and dies there on Sunday, November 23, 615, and his body will remain there forever.