Thoughts from a Thin Place: Christos Pilgrimage to Iona

A group from Christos has traveled to Iona, Scotland to engage in solitude, learning and exploration of the dynamic faith of the Christian Celts. Below are a few comments and photos from this stunning pilgrimage:

June 30, 2024

We did a six-mile hike to Columba’s Bay. This is where Columba landed in 563 to start a monastery, which would lead to a missionary island that brought Christianity to Europe. This is why Iona is called the cradle of Christianity. The rocks are significant, many from billions of years ago. There is serpentine and marble rocks that are only found on this particular beach. We threw rocks into the sea, representing all that we wanted to let go of, and we picked up new white marble rocks to represent what we want to take with us into the future. It’s amazing to watch what God is inviting us to let go of and what God wants us to know about who we really are: created in the image of God and deeply beloved.

June 27, 2024

We traveled by train through the Scottish Highlands…. Two ferries and a bus ride and then the sun shined on us as we landed on IONA!  We are excited to be able to stay here now and see the many ways God will meet us here on this journey.

Iona is indeed a thin place. Not because we are any closer to God. It’s the centuries of prayers, and way of being present to each other, the Spirit, and ourselves. We visited the Abbey today and it was an amazing reminder of what God does through people like Saint Columba when they listen to God’s call.