Islands of the Ocean: Stories from the Lives of the Celtic Saints

by Contantine Zanotis and Katerina Kormali
illustrated by Eva Karantinou

Hardcover: 62 pages

In the centuries before Christ, Celtic peoples migrated from mainland Europe into the British Isles, eventually settling in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

As Christians, they quickly set themselves apart from the local pagans and their priests, the druids. Many important holy ascetics preached the Gospel to both the unconverted Celts and the native Britons.

The remarkable thing about early Celtic culture is the transformation of its people, who distanced themselves from barbarism and arose as a Christian society led by its saints. In this spirit, we are delighted to present this book. Based on a mix of fact and folktale, the stories collected here introduce readers to a number of men and women who helped create the early history of our Orthodox Christian heritage. Their stories, though forgotten by many, are just as relevant today as they were in the distance past. And so, as we study these saints, may we be inspired to follow their example of love, humility, obedience, and most of all, their complete devotion to Christ!

Included are stories about Saint Melangell, Lan and the Druids, Saint Kevin, Saint Patrick, and Saint Gobnait (Abigail).