Celtic and Old English Saints 22 June
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* St. Alban, First Martyr of Britain
* St. Heraclius the Soldier
* St. Aaron of Brittany
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St. Alban, Proto-Martyr of Great Britain
3rd or 4th century. There were probably already Christians in the
British Isles in the first century. In fact, by the end of the second
century a great many of the inhabitants of southern England were
Christians. However, Alban is the first recorded Christian martyr of the
island. The traditional date of his death is 304, during the persecution
under the Emperor Diocletian; but many scholars now date it as early as
209, during the persecution under the Emperor Septimus Severus. This
date was derived from a study of the Turin manuscript of a Passio
Albani.
The first known reference to him, outside the Turin manuscript, is in
the 5th century life of Saint Germanus of Auxerre. Gildas, writing
c.540, gives the core of the tradition. Saint Bede gives an amplified
account, which includes a lively description of the beheading and more
details of signs from heaven.
Alban was a pagan, a Roman soldier, who, during the persecution of
Diocletian, took pity on a fleeing Christian priest and sheltered him in
his own home. When he saw that the priest spent day and night in prayer,
he was moved by the grace of God. They spent several days talking
together and Alban was so impressed by the priest's sanctity and
devotion that he became a Christian and wanted to imitate the piety and
faith of his guest. Encouraged and instructed by the priest, Alban
renounced his idol worship and embraced Christ with his whole heart.
He was a leading citizen in the old Roman city of Verulamium (Verulam),
Hertfordshire, England, now called Saint Albans. The town was originally
a collection of huts of wattle and daub that stretched along Watling
Street, and later destroyed by the army of Boadicea, the warrior queen.
The history continues that the Roman governor of the city, hearing a
rumour that a priest was hiding in the house of Alban, sent a search
party of soldiers to find him. Seeing them approach, Alban took the
priest's cloak and put it over his own head and shoulders, and helped
him to escape. Thus disguised, Alban opened the door to the soldiers and
was arrested in mistake for the priest. He was bound in fetters and
brought before the governor, who was attending a sacrifice to the pagan
gods. When the cloak was removed and his true identity was discovered,
the governor was furious. He then declared himself to be a Christian,
whereupon the governor angrily ordered him to be taken before the altar.
He was threatened with all the tortures that
had been prepared for the priest if he did not recant.
Alban faced his anger calmly and, ignoring his threats, declared that he
could not sacrifice to the gods. Upon Alban's refusal to deny his faith,
the governor enquired of what family and race he was. How can it
concern you to know of what stock I am? answered Alban. If you want to
know my religion, I will tell you--I am a Christian, and am bound by
Christian obligations. When asked his name, he replied: I am called
Alban by my parents, and I worship and adore the true and living God,
who created all things. He was then commanded to sacrifice to the Roman
gods, but he refused and was cruelly scourged. Alban bore the punishment
with resignation, even joy. When it was seen that he could not be
prevailed upon to retract, he was
sentenced to decapitation.
On the way to his execution on Holmhurst Hill, the crowds that gathered
to honour his heroism were so great that his passage was delayed because
they could not reach the bridge over the river. Alban, who seemed to
fear that any delay might deprive him of the martyr's crown, decided to
cross at another point, and going down to the water's edge he prayed to
God and stepped into the river which he then forded without difficulty.
Both Gildas and Bede have accepted the tradition that this was a miracle
and that the waters dried up completely in answer to the saint's prayer.
They add that a thousand other people crossed over with him, while the
waters piled up on either side, and that this miracle converted the
appointed executioner. Still accompanied by a huge throng of people,
Alban climbed the hill to the place of execution. But, on his arrival
there, the executioner threw down his sword and refused to perform his
office. He said that if he were not allowed to take Alban's place then
he would share his martyrdom. Confessing himself to be a Christian, the
soldier was replaced by another. Then he took his stand beside Alban,
and they faced death together. Alban was beheaded first, then the
soldier, Saint Heraclius, was baptized in his own blood to share the
glory of martyrdom. The third martyr was the priest, who when he learned
that Alban had been arrested in his place, hurried to the
