Papal praise for Columbanus Day, celebrated in honor of Irish saint
July 06, 2026
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a letter in the Holy Father’s name to the bishop of Lodi, Italy, for the 27th celebration of Columbanus Day.
The day honors St. Columban (543-615), who hailed from Ireland and founded Bobbio Abbey in Italy. Last year, the 26th celebration took place in Carlow, Ireland.
“The Supreme Pontiff appreciates in particular the fact that, in the name of Saint Columban and almost learning from him not to keep God’s gifts for themselves but to share them with everyone, the Columbanus Days have contributed to bringing together many people of different languages and nations, inviting them to rediscover together the values of the Christian tradition in order to respond to the challenges of our time,” Cardinal Parolin wrote in his Italian-language letter, dated July 2 and made public by the Vatican on July 5.
Cardinal Parolin added:
Among these challenges, of the utmost importance is that of peace. In this regard, the Holy Father invites us to learn from St. Columbanus an attitude that is indispensable for any journey of reconciliation, that is, the penitential attitude, with which one places oneself before God by humbly acknowledging one’s own faults, both personally and collectively.
In particular, when a conflict has degenerated into war, with the tragic consequence of death and destruction, instead of accusing each other, it is necessary to implore mercy from God, the merciful Judge. Only divine mercy can instill human mercy in hearts and cause enemies to reach out to each other.
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