The Viking Raids on Iona

300 Years of Devastation and Resilience

Long before Norse ships appeared on the horizon, Iona was a sanctuary of peace and spiritual vitality. Founded in A.D. 563 by the Irish monk St. Columba, the island rapidly became the religious and cultural heart of early medieval Scotland. Known as the “Little Hill of Columba’s Benediction,” it was both a holy center and a lighthouse of learning that i…