an Irish monk, who was educated in the monastery of Bangor, and is said to have translated the Psalms. He left the monastery A.D. 590 along with 12 youths whom he was training as ecclesiastics, and repairing to France, established himself in a wilderness in the Vosges, where the ruins of an ancient castle (Anagrates) afforded shelter to the band. Here they were exposed to the greatest privations; but their superior learning and piety soon attracted crowds of admirers, for whose accommodation convents sprung up at Luxeuil and Fontenay. The enemies of Columbanus, however, taking advantage of some peculiar usages which he had brought from Ireland, accused him to the pope, and ultimately carried their suit before a Frankish synod in 602. A more powerful conspiracy was at the same time organized against him at the court, by Brunehault, the mother of Thierry II, king of Burgundy, who was indignant at the rebukes administered by the fearless missionary to her profligate son. She was joined in her scheme by a large party of Burgundian nobles and prelates, who were offended by the rigorous austerity of the monk, and at last procured an order commanding his return to Ireland. With a few chosen followers Columbanus retired to Nantes, and thence withdrew into Switzerland, where he preached to the Suevi and Alamanni. He afterwards went to Italy and founded the monastery of Bobbio, in which he remained till his death. The order of the Columbans was merged in that of the Benedictines in the beginning of the eighth century. (Neander's Memorials of Christian Life.)