Make me an island

About

This blog is created by two Oxford-based christians of Anglican and Orthodox background. Our aim is to explore the accounts of the saints who lived on the British Isles before Eastern and Western churches fell apart in the 11th century. The posts will outline the ways in which lives of saints relate to geography and cult, as well taking in aspects of pilgrimage and existing liturgical texts. One of our main interests is the monastic tradition of hermitages and isolated remote places as symbols of the inner spiritual life and prayer. Through the entries we hope to reveal the heritage of the British saints as inspiring and relevant for everyone who leads a Christian life today. 


The Orthodox Old calendar is used for the dates of celebrations. It is normally two weeks later than the dates of the New calendar used by the Anglican, Catholic, and most Greek Orthodox churches.

St Aidan's prayer:

Leave me alone with God as much as may be.
As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore,
Make me an island, set apart,
alone with you, God, holy to you.

 

Then with the turning of the tide
prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond,
the world that rushes in on me
till the waters come again and fold me back to you.

 

hermits@makemeanisland.co.uk