English: Stained-Glass Window in St Albans Cathedral, England, showing the Martyrdom of Saint Alban.
Polski: Witraż z katedry w St Albans
przedstawiający śmierć św. Albana.
Photo: 11 April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Przemysław Sakrajda
(Wikimedia Commons)
Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless stated otherwise.
Saint Alban (Latin: Albanus) is Venerated as the first-recorded British Christian Martyr,[1] for which reason he is considered to be the British Proto-Martyr.
Along with fellow Saints, Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three named Martyrs recorded at an early date from Roman Britain (“Amphibalus” was the name given much later to the Priest he was said to have been protecting).
He is traditionally believed to have been beheaded in Verulamium (modern Saint Albans) sometime during the 3rd- or 4th-Century A.D., and has been celebrated there since ancient times.
Saint Albans Cathedral.
Photo: 1 August 2014.
Source: Own work.
Attribution:
“Photo by DAVID ILIFF.
Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0”.
Author: Diliff
(Wikimedia Commons)
Alban lived in Roman Britain, but little is known about his religious affiliations, socio-economic status, or citizenship. According to the most elaborate version of the tale found in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People, in the 3rd- or 4th-Century A.D., (see dating controversy below), Christians began to suffer “cruel persecution”, and Alban was living in Verulamium.[2]
However, Gildas says he crossed the River Thames before his Martyrdom, so some authors place his residence and Martyrdom in, or near. London.[3]
Both agree that Alban met a Roman Catholic Priest fleeing from persecutors and sheltered him in his house for a number of days. The Priest, who later came to be called Amphibalus, meaning “cloak”, in Latin, Prayed and “kept watch” day and night, and Alban was so impressed with the Priest’s Faith and piety that he found himself emulating him and soon converted to Christianity.
Stained-Glass Window of Saint Alban (Proto-Martyr of England) and Saint George (Patron Saint of England) in the South Wall of Sandhurst Church, Berkshire, England. The Window is a War Memorial to The Fallen of Sandhurst in
The Great War (First World War).
Photo: 12 July 2009.
Source: From geograph.org.uk
Attribution: Philip Halling /
Sandhurst Church /CC BY-SA 2.0
Author: Philip Halling
(Wikimedia Commons)
Eventually, it came to the ears of an unnamed “impious Prince” that Alban was sheltering the Priest. The Prince gave orders for Roman soldiers to make a strict search of Alban’s house. As they came to seize the Priest, Alban put on the Priest’s cloak and clothing and presented himself to the soldiers in place of his guest.[2]
Alban was brought before a judge, who just then happened to be standing at an altar, offering sacrifices to “devils” (Bede’s reference to pagan gods). When the judge heard that Alban had offered himself up in place of the Priest, he became enraged that Alban would shelter a person who “despised and blasphemed the gods,”[2] and, as Alban had given himself up in the Christian’s place, Alban was sentenced to endure all the punishments that were to be inflicted upon the Priest, unless he would comply with the pagan rites of their religion.
Alban was brought before a judge, who just then happened to be standing at an altar, offering sacrifices to “devils” (Bede’s reference to pagan gods). When the judge heard that Alban had offered himself up in place of the Priest, he became enraged that Alban would shelter a person who “despised and blasphemed the gods,”[2] and, as Alban had given himself up in the Christian’s place, Alban was sentenced to endure all the punishments that were to be inflicted upon the Priest, unless he would comply with the pagan rites of their religion.
Alban refused, and declared: “I worship and adore the true and living God Who created all things.” (The words are still used in Prayer at Saint Alban’s Abbey).
The enraged judge ordered Alban to be scourged, thinking that a whipping would shake the constancy of his heart, but Alban bore these torments patiently and joyfully. When the judge realised that the tortures would not shake his Faith, he gave orders for Alban to be beheaded.[2]
Alban was led to execution, and presently came to a fast-flowing river that could not be crossed (believed to be the River Ver). There was a bridge, but a mob of curious towns people, who wished to watch the execution, had so clogged the bridge that the execution party could not cross.
Filled with an ardent desire to arrive quickly at Martyrdom, Alban raised his eyes to Heaven, and the river dried up, allowing Alban and his captors to cross over on dry land.
The Nave, Saint Albans Cathedral.
The North Wall (Left) features a mix of Norman Arches dating back to 1077 and Arches in the Early-English Style of 1200.[18]
Photo: 3 September 2008.
Source: St Albans Cathedral, Roof
Author: the_majestic_fool
(Wikimedia Commons)
The astonished executioner cast down his sword and fell at Alban’s feet, moved by divine inspiration and Praying that he might either suffer with Alban or be executed for him.[2][4]
The other executioner hesitated to pick up his sword and, meanwhile, Alban went about 500 paces to a gently sloping hill, completely covered with all kinds of wildflowers, and overlooking a beautiful plain. (Bede observes that it was a fittingly beautiful place to be enriched and sanctified by a Martyr’s blood.)[2]
The other executioner hesitated to pick up his sword and, meanwhile, Alban went about 500 paces to a gently sloping hill, completely covered with all kinds of wildflowers, and overlooking a beautiful plain. (Bede observes that it was a fittingly beautiful place to be enriched and sanctified by a Martyr’s blood.)[2]
When Alban reached the summit of the hill, he began to thirst and Prayed God would give him water. A spring immediately sprang up at his feet. It was there that his head was struck off, as well as the head of the first Roman soldier, who was miraculously converted and refused to execute him.
The Wallingford Screen of circa 1480. The statues are Victorian replacements (1884–1889) of the originals, destroyed in the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when the Screen was also damaged.[30] Statues of Saint Alban and Saint Amphibalus stand on either side of the Altar.
Photo: 1 August 2014.
Source: Own work.
Attribution: “Photo by DAVID ILIFF.
Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0”
Author: Diliff
(Wikimedia Commons)
However, immediately after delivering the fatal stroke, the eyes of the second executioner fell out of his head and dropped to the ground, along with Alban’s head, so that this second executioner could not rejoice over Alban’s death.[2]
In later legends, Alban’s head rolled downhill after his execution, and a well sprang up where it stopped.[5] Upon hearing of the Miracles, the astonished judge ordered further persecutions to cease, and he began to honour the Saint’s death.[2]
Saint Albans Cathedral now stands near the believed site of his execution, and a well is at the bottom of the hill, Holywell Hill.[5]
In later legends, Alban’s head rolled downhill after his execution, and a well sprang up where it stopped.[5] Upon hearing of the Miracles, the astonished judge ordered further persecutions to cease, and he began to honour the Saint’s death.[2]
Saint Albans Cathedral now stands near the believed site of his execution, and a well is at the bottom of the hill, Holywell Hill.[5]
The Choir, Saint Albans Cathedral.
Photo: 1 August 2014.
Source: Own work.
Attribution: “Photo by DAVID ILIFF.
Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0”
Author: Diliff
(Wikimedia Commons)
He does not mention Alban by name, but includes an unnamed Martyr, who, “in the hands of the executioners told rivers to draw back, lest he should be delayed in his haste.”[6] The account closely resembles Alban’s Martyrdom, and many historians have concluded that this may be a reference to Alban, making it the earliest surviving reference to a British Saint.
The foundational text concerning Alban is the “Passio Albani”, or the “Passion of Alban”, which relates the tale of Alban’s Martyrdom, and Germanus of Auxerre’s subsequent visit to the site of Alban’s execution.
The foundational text concerning Alban is the “Passio Albani”, or the “Passion of Alban”, which relates the tale of Alban’s Martyrdom, and Germanus of Auxerre’s subsequent visit to the site of Alban’s execution.
World first technology used to restore colour to
Saint Albans Cathedral’s 15th-Century Wallingford Screen.
Available on YouTube
This “Passio” survives in six manuscripts, with three different recensions, referred to as T, P, and E,[8] the oldest of which dates to the 8th-Century A.D.[9] The T manuscript is in Turin, the P manuscript is in Paris and the E manuscripts (of which there are four) are at The British Library and Gray's Inn, both in London, and Autun (France) and Einsiedeln (Switzerland).
The “Passio” is very likely the source text of the more well-known accounts found in Gildas and Bede.
Another early text to mention Alban is the “Vita Germani”, or “Life of Saint Germanus of Auxerre”, written about 480 A.D., by Constantius of Lyon.[10] The text only very briefly mentions Alban, but is an important text concerning his nascent cult. According to the “Vita”, Germanus visited Alban’s grave shortly after defeating the Pelagian heresy in Britain and asked Alban to give thanks to God on his behalf.
Another early text to mention Alban is the “Vita Germani”, or “Life of Saint Germanus of Auxerre”, written about 480 A.D., by Constantius of Lyon.[10] The text only very briefly mentions Alban, but is an important text concerning his nascent cult. According to the “Vita”, Germanus visited Alban’s grave shortly after defeating the Pelagian heresy in Britain and asked Alban to give thanks to God on his behalf.
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