The little island of Iona in the Western Isles of Scotland is known as one of Britain’s most historic holy places. It is remembered as the cradle of Christianity for much of Scotland and northern England. The Celtic mission from Iona, however, clashed with the sixth-century Roman mission, which represented a radically different way of seeing.

This led to the Synod of Whitby in 664 and the tragic displacement of Celtic spirituality to the fringes of British Christianity. It lived on, however, almost as a spiritual resistance movement among the prayers of the people of the Western Isles. These were not so much religious prayers as songs and chants used in the context of daily life.

Philip Newell developed this book as an aid to daily prayer. Here is a weekly cycle of morning and evening prayers in the Celtic tradition, with gospel and psalm readings taken from the liturgical year. Each “day” reflects a concern of the Iona Community: justice and peacehealing, the goodness of creation and care for the earth, commitment to Christ, communion of heaven and earth, welcome and hospitality.

The beautiful calligraphy sets a welcoming mood and contemplative pace to the prayers.