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In the centuries before the tragic schism that separated the Eastern Church from the Western Church, Ireland was an Island teeming with monasteries and churches. It became the home of thousands of saints, ascetics, and miracle workers of all types, and was the place from which the rest of Europe was evangelized and civilized. Scholars tell us that monks traveled from as far away as Egypt and Syria to join in the spiritual phenomena taking place on that remarkable island.

Now the island is filled with the physical remnants of that era in the form of ruins and sacred sites. It is as though the spirituality of that ancient, almost unremembered time came under some sort of enchantment and was turned to stone, waiting in silence over the centuries for a time of reawakening, when the life is renewed and the ancient places are restored, and the island is known once more as, Holy Ireland, the home of saints and scholars.

veeRead more
veeRead a journal of the May 2008 pilgrimage
veeFind out how to become a pilgrim

veeVisit the Early Christian Sites in Ireland Database
veeThe Antiochian Orthodox Church of St. Ignatius, Belfast, parish website


inishmore
St Benan's, Inishmore, Aran Islands

secret room Ladder in St Columba's 'House' leading to a secret room


Sermons in Stones

A Pilgrimage to the Ancient Monastic Sites of Holy Ireland

May 11 - 21, 2010

“A pilgrim is one who allows the place itself to speak to him, or her.”
Bishop Kallistos Ware


On these pilgrimages we walk in the footsteps of the many and varied, wonder-working Irish Saints, and as we do so we find that the centuries have slipped away, and that we are tangibly close to our ancient brothers and sisters, with whom we are one, in spirit, in faith, in creed, and in baptism.


veeDownload the registration form for 2010
veeDownload the Pilrimage Brochure for 2010

The Early Christian Sites of Ireland Database
Father John Musther, one of the leaders of the pilgrimage and a scholar of early Christian Ireland has compiled an online datebase of existing early Christian sites throughout the islands. This database currently contains all 32 counties in Ireland, 506 sites, and 3221 photographs. It is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the early history of the Christian Church in Ireland, and Europe. The database is found at www.earlychristianireland.org.

early christian ireland



glendalough valley
The peaceful valley of Glendalough, where Saint Kevin lived as a hermit


holy island
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