He covered about 5.000 km of desolate lands , marshes , Alpine and Appennine passes , preaching passionately the faith among the Franks , the Swabians and the Lombards . Many arehis foundations at Annegray , Luxeuil , Fontaines , in France , and afterwards in Germany , Switzerland , Austria and Italy , which were for many centuries , beacons of light for all Europe .
He wrote to Popes and Kings in defence of the human dignity , proclaiming everywhere a message of peace and universality . He contributed with his mission as evangelizer and legislator to the construction of Europe , based upon Christian values , the centrality of the human person and the primacy of the common good . These are elements common to the Europe of the 3rd millennium , that sees in Columbanus its natural protector .
For his diplomatic skills as builder of peace , his vast culture and his work at the Christian origins of the same Europe , he should be proclaimed Patron Saint of Europe , at the dawn of the new European Union , seen as the land of all its citizen , be they Galls , British , Irish , Italians or of any other nationality . His European vision of this new social world , called to grow in justice and perfection , and his untiring
work make of him the most equipped man of European spirit , almost 200 years before Charlemagne . And Columbanus is certainly , together with the founder of the Sacred Roman Empire , the most eminent personality of the late Middle Ages . Robert Schuman wrote that Columbanus is the Saint Patron of those who are trying to build a united Europe .
St . Columbanus merits becoming copatron of Europe because in the 6th century he anticipated with his pilgrimage throughout the nations what became later the European Union , is said in a ANSA news flash on the 23th November 2007 . These are words of Dermot Ahern , Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs , who , in Bobbio , received , together with Cardinal Cathal Daly , the Freedom of the city by the town made famous by this Irish monk .
Today the European West owes in part its history to the work of this “ itinerant ” for Christ , a true European , pioneer of civilization , father founder of monasteries , precursor of justice and freedom , witness and champion of the supreme dignity of the human being for his time and also for ours . For his pilgrimage throughout Europe , for the creation of so many communities on the continent , for the Christian civilizing European function of his foundations , for his message and for his social vision , Columbanus represents the man and the European Saint who was a true engine in the reunification of the various countries , promoting their freedom and dignity in an universal vision . Robert Schuman , father of the new Europe , saw in Columbanus its Patron . Fra Anselmo Tommasini , in Irish Saints in