Saint Alban, the First Martyr of Britain.
Saint Alban, the first Martyr of Britain, was born and raised a pagan. During the persecution of Diocletian, he took in and hid a Christian priest. Moved by his constancy in prayer and vigil, Alban was drawn by his example to faith in Christ. When the pagans learned that the priest was hidden with Alban, soldiers were sent to search his house. But the Saint, having put on his priestly robe, gave himself up to the soldiers instead. When Alban appeared before the judge, the deception infuriated him. Alban confessed himself a Christian, was savagely scourged and tormented by the judge, and was finally sentenced to beheading. He was led out of town to the place of execution. He had to cross a river to get there, but such a multitude had gathered to witness the beheading that he could not get near the bridge; and being eager to come to martyrdom, he prayed and the river ran dry, allowing him to cross. The executioner was so moved by this that he threw down his sword and begged the Martyr to be allowed to die in his place, or at least with him. He was taken to the summit of the hill where he was to die, but before reaching it prayed for water, and a spring miraculously bubbled up. Then he was beheaded, together with the executioner who had refused to execute him, on June 22, near the city of Verulamium. Many Christians suffered martyrdom throughout Britain in the same persecution, among them Saints Aaron and Julius.
In the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, a magnificent church was erected on the site of Saint Alban’s martyrdom, and it became a celebrated shrine for pilgrims where miracles were worked and the sick were healed.
When Saint Germanus of Auxerre came to Britain in the fifth century with Saint Lupus to drive out the Pelagian heresy, on their way back to Gaul they stopped at the shrine of Saint Alban to give thanks to God. Bede reports (ch. 18) that when his tomb was opened for Saint Germanus, some of the earth was found yet red with the Martyr’s blood, of which Saint Germanus took a portion as a blessing; and he attributed his fair sailing home to Saint Alban’s intercession.
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