Columban

Columban, St. (Columbanus) [550-615], an Irish monk of Leinster, who was educated at Bangor in Down. In 590 he went with others to the Vosges and founded the monasteries of Luxeuil and Fontenay. He was accused before a synod of French bishops in 602 for unorthodox practices as to the keeping of Easter, and having given offence at Court by rebuking Thierry II. of Burgundy and Brunehart, he was banished, and preached for a time in Switzerland. Driven from there he went to Italy, where he founded at Bobbio the monastery in which he died. He appears to have been acquainted with the Latin and Greek classics, and among his writings are some Latin poems. His works were published at Louvain (1667).