In the past few hundred years, countless medieval legends and myths have been shoved off to the side, “disproven” by modern historians and scientists. Unfortunately, the dismissal of these stories has also removed an important element of life that we often neglect and forget: a sense that there is more to this world than meets the eye.
Myths of medieval Christianity were written (and embellished) over the years not so that they could create a false picture of history, but rather a true one. It is these types of stories that captivate us and encourage us to look around at the world in a different way.
The modern-day myth of Star Wars is a prime example. George Lucas explained once in an interview: “I put the Force into the movies in order to try to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people.”
While Lucas wasn’t keen on organised religion, his intention was similar to the storytellers of old: using legend and myth to open up our spiritual eyes. After watching the latest instalments in the Star Wars saga, I recognised an opportunity to breathe new life into a legendary story connected to one of the islands used as a shooting location.
The mythical island of Ahch-To is in real life the island of Skellig Michael, off the southern coast of Ireland. It was once a home to devout Irish monks for 600 years, and still contains a rich presence of God.
I was captivated by the island onscreen and wanted to share that experience with others in a new way. I chose to capture the spiritual legacy of the island through the medium of a comic book. They offer a unique opportunity to tell an engaging story by using stunning artwork. Since Skellig Michael is such a remarkable place, I felt it was only fitting to create a comic book series centered on it.
I didn’t just want to tell the story of the monks, but to present a fascinating legend that involves them. Finnian and the Seven Mountains, explores a medieval legend called the Sword of St Michael and revolves around seven monasteries all dedicated to the holy archangel.
In the end, these fantastic legends of Christianity, while they may not be historically “true”, possess an even greater truth that enables them to transcend time and inspire people of every age.
As Han Solo reflected in The Force Awakens, in conversation with the hero Rey:
Rey The Jedi were real? Han Solo I used to wonder about that myself. Thought it was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. A magical power holding together good and evil, the dark side and the light. Crazy thing is… it’s true. The Force. The Jedi… All of it… It’s all true.
These stories may seem hard to believe, but they are true, truer than we could possibly imagine.
Philip Kosloski’s Finnian and the Seven Mountains can now be purchased through Amazon
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